Rights for the TSA Workforce Act
Sponsored By: Representative Thompson (MS)
In Committee
Summary
Applies the Title 5 federal personnel system to Transportation Security Administration employees. The bill would move TSA staff onto standard federal pay, hiring, and labor rules to preserve pay and strengthen workplace protections.
Show full summary
- Screening agents would gain Title 5 labor protections, including the ability to form a bargaining unit under Chapter 71 and continuation of existing pay and leave benefits during the transition.
- Federal air marshals and TSA criminal investigators would keep Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) and get overtime parity with the Fair Labor Standards Act, and certain premium pay would count toward pay and retirement calculations.
- Office of Personnel Management and payroll systems would be updated to Title 5 job series and pay rules within 180 days, the conversion would complete by Dec 31, 2025, and the Comptroller General would review recruitment, promotions, harassment policies, and require annual TSA workforce reports.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Move TSA workers to Title 5 by 2025
If enacted, TSA workers would move under Title 5 on a date set by the Secretary, no later than December 31, 2025. TSA could not change existing personnel policies after enactment, except limited updates to match annual pay and for emergencies with 7‑day notice to Congress. OPM and the National Finance Center would update job series and payroll within 180 days after enactment or by December 31, 2025, whichever is earlier. Workers with pending grievances could shift to Title 5 processes, and deadlines would pause until those rights start. The Secretary would consult the union within 7 days and share written plans before bargaining rules begin.
Protect pay and leave at conversion
If enacted, on conversion a worker’s adjusted basic pay and law enforcement availability pay would not go down. Accrued annual, sick, and other paid leave would carry over, subject to Title 5 limits. Part‑time screeners would get the same pay premiums as full‑time staff, and split‑shift pay where eligible. Emergency leave and group retention incentives could be used even if other Title 5 limits would block them.
Stronger union rights for TSA screeners
If enacted, within 90 days after enactment, Title 5 labor and appeal rules would cover TSA screening agents. The union certified on June 29, 2011 would be the exclusive representative. Bargaining would be national, with local bargaining only if both sides agree. Current agreements would stay until a new Title 5 agreement is signed.
Air marshal pay: LEAP, overtime, and caps
If enacted, starting on the conversion date, Federal air marshals would receive availability pay (LEAP) and overtime calculated so they are not worse off than under the Fair Labor Standards Act. For air marshals and criminal investigators hired before enactment, OPM would count pre‑Act premium pay toward pay and retirement. But for those hired before enactment, premium‑pay eligibility would be capped at the pre‑Act maximum set by TSA.
Oversight reports and retirement planning steps
If enacted, the Administrator would send an annual report to Congress within one year, covering morale, retention, and survey results. GAO would review hiring, promotions and diversity, harassment policies, and implementation within set timelines. An implementation review would start within 60 days after the conversion date, with a report due within one year after conversion. TSA would brief Congress on assaults within 90 days, propose a retirement‑pay plan within 90 days, and align background‑check rules within one year.
Funding to carry out workforce changes
If enacted, the bill would authorize whatever funds are needed to carry out these changes, available until spent. Actual money would still require a later appropriations bill.
No change to federal strike bans
This bill would not change federal laws that ban strikes by government employees. It would not authorize any strike activity that is illegal today.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Thompson (MS)
MS • D
Cosponsors
Connolly
VA • D
Sponsored 3/11/2025
DeLauro
CT • D
Sponsored 3/11/2025
McIver
NJ • D
Sponsored 3/11/2025
Underwood
IL • D
Sponsored 3/11/2025
Kennedy (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 3/11/2025
Bacon
NE • R
Sponsored 3/11/2025
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 3/11/2025
Van Drew
NJ • R
Sponsored 3/11/2025
Malliotakis
NY • R
Sponsored 3/11/2025
LaLota
NY • R
Sponsored 3/11/2025
Lawler
NY • R
Sponsored 3/11/2025
Tonko
NY • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Garbarino
NY • R
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Jayapal
WA • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Bonamici
OR • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Norcross
NJ • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Wilson (FL)
FL • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Figures
AL • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Menendez
NJ • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Garcia (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Tlaib
MI • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Barragan
CA • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
McBath
GA • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Cherfilus-McCormick
FL • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Dingell
MI • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Davis (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Titus
NV • D
Sponsored 3/14/2025
Swalwell
CA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Casten
IL • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Casar
TX • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Williams (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Kelly (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Sherrill
NJ • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
McClellan
VA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Torres (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Schneider
IL • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Nadler
NY • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Sherman
CA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Cohen
TN • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Correa
CA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Budzinski
IL • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Pallone
NJ • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Khanna
CA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
McGarvey
KY • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Magaziner
RI • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Ocasio-Cortez
NY • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Wasserman Schultz
FL • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Ramirez
IL • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Pingree
ME • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Goldman (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Takano
CA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Brownley
CA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Mannion
NY • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Vargas
CA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Houlahan
PA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Lynch
MA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Case
HI • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Moore (WI)
WI • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Deluzio
PA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Sanchez
CA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Moulton
MA • D
Sponsored 3/21/2025
Espaillat
NY • D
Sponsored 3/21/2025
Mullin
CA • D
Sponsored 3/21/2025
Watson Coleman
NJ • D
Sponsored 3/21/2025
Scott (VA)
VA • D
Sponsored 3/21/2025
Frankel, Lois
FL • D
Sponsored 3/21/2025
Waters
CA • D
Sponsored 3/21/2025
Salinas
OR • D
Sponsored 3/21/2025
McBride
DE • D
Sponsored 3/21/2025
Ansari
AZ • D
Sponsored 3/21/2025
Scanlon
PA • D
Sponsored 3/21/2025
Peters
CA • D
Sponsored 3/24/2025
Clarke (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 3/24/2025
Johnson (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 3/24/2025
Elfreth
MD • D
Sponsored 3/27/2025
Cisneros
CA • D
Sponsored 3/27/2025
Meng
NY • D
Sponsored 3/27/2025
Neguse
CO • D
Sponsored 3/27/2025
Conaway
NJ • D
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Latimer
NY • D
Sponsored 4/1/2025
Gillen
NY • D
Sponsored 4/1/2025
Pou
NJ • D
Sponsored 4/8/2025
Subramanyam
VA • D
Sponsored 4/8/2025
Garcia (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 4/8/2025
Golden (ME)
ME • D
Sponsored 4/8/2025
Vindman
VA • D
Sponsored 4/8/2025
Horsford
NV • D
Sponsored 4/14/2025
Thanedar
MI • D
Sponsored 4/14/2025
Larson (CT)
CT • D
Sponsored 4/21/2025
Mrvan
IN • D
Sponsored 4/21/2025
Morelle
NY • D
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Chu
CA • D
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Riley (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Suozzi
NY • D
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Meeks
NY • D
Sponsored 5/15/2025
Frost
FL • D
Sponsored 5/23/2025
Velazquez
NY • D
Sponsored 6/27/2025
Kamlager-Dove
CA • D
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Stansbury
NM • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Garcia (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Jacobs
CA • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Gottheimer
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Garamendi
CA • D
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Friedman
CA • D
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Fletcher
TX • D
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Levin
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Omar
MN • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Pettersen
CO • D
Sponsored 8/1/2025
Sewell
AL • D
Sponsored 8/1/2025
Harder (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 8/1/2025
Evans (PA)
PA • D
Sponsored 8/1/2025
Scott, David
GA • D
Sponsored 8/1/2025
Doggett
TX • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
Escobar
TX • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
Carter (LA)
LA • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
Fields
LA • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
Carbajal
CA • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
Olszewski
MD • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
Sykes
OH • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
Ryan
NY • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
Raskin
MD • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
Johnson (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
Lofgren
CA • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
DeSaulnier
CA • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
Gonzalez, V.
TX • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
Leger Fernandez
NM • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
Stanton
AZ • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
Sorensen
IL • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
Hoyle (OR)
OR • D
Sponsored 8/15/2025
Min
CA • D
Sponsored 8/15/2025
Hayes
CT • D
Sponsored 8/22/2025
Morrison
MN • D
Sponsored 8/22/2025
Dexter
OR • D
Sponsored 8/22/2025
Crow
CO • D
Sponsored 8/29/2025
Thompson (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 9/9/2025
Moskowitz
FL • D
Sponsored 9/15/2025
Matsui
CA • D
Sponsored 10/3/2025
Castor (FL)
FL • D
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Brown
OH • D
Sponsored 1/20/2026
Vasquez
NM • D
Sponsored 1/20/2026
Green, Al (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Simon
CA • D
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Beatty
OH • D
Sponsored 3/4/2026
Schakowsky
IL • D
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Veasey
TX • D
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Landsman
OH • D
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DelBene
WA • D
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Davis (NC)
NC • D
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Ross
NC • D
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Boyle (PA)
PA • D
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Van Orden
WI • R
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Rivas
CA • D
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Huffman
CA • D
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Gomez
CA • D
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Pocan
WI • D
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Grijalva
AZ • D
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Adams
NC • D
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Walkinshaw
VA • D
Sponsored 4/2/2026
Beyer
VA • D
Sponsored 4/2/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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