WATCH Personnel Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Pou, Nellie [D-NJ-9]
In Committee
Summary
Protecting TSA pay during a funding lapse. This bill would set a $40,000 minimum annual salary for Transportation Security Officers, require inflation-based increases, and authorize temporary pay and a $10,000 officer bonus during an appropriations lapse.
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- TSA workers: Would require the TSA Administrator to implement a $40,000 minimum TSO salary for FY2026 within 90 days, with annual inflation adjustments starting in FY2027.
- Active officers during a lapse: Would authorize continuing pay and a $10,000 bonus for each TSA Security Officer employed and working as of February 14, 2026. The bonus would not count as basic pay for retirement, life insurance, or other employee benefits.
- Limits and timing: Would require lapse-period payments to be charged to the applicable appropriation once regular funding is enacted, bar using other funds to cover the lapse pay, and end the authority when Congress enacts applicable appropriations or by September 30, 2026, with a retroactive effective date of February 13, 2026.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Higher minimum pay for TSA officers
If enacted, the bill would require TSA to set a minimum annual salary of $40,000 for Transportation Security Officers for fiscal year 2026. The TSA Administrator would have to set this minimum no later than 90 days after enactment. On October 1, 2026 and at the start of each fiscal year after, the minimum would rise if the Consumer Price Index increased by 1 percent or more, with increases rounded to the nearest dollar.
One-time $10,000 bonus for TSOs
If enacted, the bill would give a one-time $10,000 bonus to each Transportation Security Officer who was employed and working for TSA on February 14, 2026. The bonus would be paid from the lapse-period authority and would not count as basic pay for retirement, life insurance, or other employee benefits. The bonus authority would end when Congress provides funding for these pay items or by September 30, 2026 if Congress does not act.
Temporary pay authority during lapse
If enacted, the bill would allow the Treasury to provide the sums needed to keep TSA employees paid starting February 14, 2026 while FY2026 appropriations are not in effect. That authority would cover regular pay, allowances, pay differentials, benefits, and other routine payments. Expenditures would later be charged to the proper appropriation when Congress enacts a funding law. The authority would end when Congress funds the covered purposes or by September 30, 2026, whichever happens first.
Retroactive effective date to February 13
If enacted, the bill would be treated as having been enacted on February 13, 2026. That would let the Act's pay and payment authorities apply retroactively to that date where the bill's text allows, potentially enabling earlier accounting or payments for covered TSA employees.
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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