WATCH Personnel Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Pou, Nellie [D-NJ-9]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would guarantee pay for Transportation Security Administration staff during a lapse in appropriations and set a new minimum salary floor for Transportation Security Officers.
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- Workers: Transportation Security Officers would have a minimum annual salary of $40,000 for Fiscal Year 2026 and each TSO employed and working on Feb. 14, 2026 would receive a $10,000 bonus.
- Pay growth: The TSA Administrator would adjust the minimum TSO salary on Oct. 1, 2026 and at the start of each fiscal year thereafter to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, rounding to the nearest dollar and ignoring increases under 1 percent.
- Funding and limits: Treasury funds would cover standard pay, allowances, benefits, and the bonuses for the period beginning Feb. 14, 2026, with those expenditures charged to the applicable appropriation when enacted; the authority ends at the earlier of a new appropriation or Sept. 30, 2026 and the bill would take effect retroactively to Feb. 13, 2026.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Higher minimum pay for TSOs
This bill would require the TSA Administrator to set a $40,000 minimum annual salary for Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) for FY2026. The Administrator must set that FY2026 minimum within 90 days of enactment. On October 1, 2026 and at the start of each fiscal year after, the Administrator would adjust the minimum to reflect the 12‑month average Consumer Price Index change versus FY2026, rounding to the nearest dollar. The Administrator may ignore any CPI increase under 1 percent. The bill defines the CPI as the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
TSO pay and $10,000 bonus
If enacted, the bill would provide Treasury funds starting February 14, 2026 while FY2026 appropriations are not in effect to keep TSA employees paid at regular rates. Those funds would cover standard pay, allowances, pay differentials, benefits, and other regularly payable amounts. It would also give a one-time $10,000 bonus to each Transportation Security Officer employed and working for TSA on February 14, 2026. The bonus would not count as basic pay for retirement, life insurance, or other benefits. Payments could not duplicate pay an employee already receives from other funds. Expenditures would be charged to the applicable appropriation when that appropriation is later enacted. The authority would end at the earliest of: enactment of an appropriation for any of these purposes; enactment of a regular or continuing appropriations resolution or other Act that provides no appropriation for these purposes; or September 30, 2026.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Pou, Nellie [D-NJ-9]
NJ • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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