Crapo Backs Bill to Bolster Aviation Safety

Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo joined Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland), John Boozman (R-Arkansas) and Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) in support of the Spending Aviation Fees for Equipment, Guaranteeing Upgraded and Advanced Risk Detection and Safety (SAFEGUARDS) Act. The bill Senator Crapo co-sponsored would make certain the revenue collected through the 9/11 Passenger Security Fee (PSF) is invested in bolstering aviation and airport security.

“Passenger security fees should be used as intended—to fund aviation security activities,” said Crapo. “Years of diverting these funds have hampered TSA’s ability to implement modernized screening technologies, particularly at checkpoints with high passenger volumes.”

Airline passengers currently pay a fee of $5.60 per each one-way ticket, intended to fund aviation security. Since 2014, more than $13 billion of the collected fees have been diverted to non-security uses, and this legislation would end that diversion and invest these fees back into airport security.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screens millions of passengers and their luggage daily, providing services at 2,400 security lanes at the nation's 420 airports.

The SAFEGUARDS Act would:

• Allocate $500 million in PSF revenue annually for checked bag explosive detection systems (EDS); and
• Set aside $250 million annually for checkpoint technology improvements, including at exit lanes.

TSA has screening checkpoints at all six of Idaho’s major commercial airports, including Boise Airport (BOI), Idaho Falls Regional Airport (IDA), Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN), Pocatello Regional Airport (PIH), Lewiston-Nez Perce County Airport (LWS) and Magic Valley Regional Airport (TWF).

Full text of the legislation can be found here.