I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5851 
Making continuing appropriations for essential Federal Aviation Administra-
tion and Transportation Security Administration pay and operations in 
the event of a Federal Government shutdown, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 28, 2025 
Mr. JAMES introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Appropriations 
A BILL 
Making continuing appropriations for essential Federal Avia-
tion Administration and Transportation Security Admin-
istration pay and operations in the event of a Federal 
Government shutdown, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Keep America Flying 
Act of 2026’’. 
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SEC. 2. CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS FOR AIR TRAFFIC 
CONTROLLERS AND TRANSPORTATION SECU-
RITY PERSONNEL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are hereby appropriated for 
fiscal year 2026, out of any money in the Treasury not 
otherwise appropriated, for the period beginning October 
1, 2025, during which interim or full-year appropriations 
for fiscal year 2026 are not in effect— 
(1) such sums as are necessary to provide 
standard rates of pay, allowances, pay differentials, 
benefits, and other payments otherwise payable on a 
regular basis to air traffic controllers and other es-
sential operational personnel of the Federal Aviation 
Administration whose services are required for the 
safe and orderly operation of the national airspace 
system; 
(2) such sums as are necessary to provide 
standard rates of pay, allowances, pay differentials, 
benefits, and other payments otherwise payable on a 
regular basis to employees of the Transportation Se-
curity Administration engaged in screening oper-
ations, aviation security duties, or related mission- 
support functions necessary to carry out security 
screening under chapter 449 of title 49, United 
States Code; 
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(3) such sums as are necessary to provide for 
payments to contractors of the Federal Aviation Ad-
ministration whom the Secretary of Transportation 
determines are providing support to the personnel 
described in paragraph (1); and 
(4) such sums as are necessary to provide for 
payments to contractors of the Transportation Secu-
rity Administration whom the Administrator or Act-
ing Administrator of the Transportation Security 
Administration determines are providing support to 
the personnel described in paragraph (2). 
(b) CHARGE
TO FUTURE APPROPRIATIONS.—Ex-
penditures made pursuant to subsection (a) shall be 
charged to the applicable appropriation, fund, or author-
ization whenever an Act in which such applicable appro-
priation, fund, or authorization is included is enacted into 
law. 
SEC. 3. TERMINATION. 
Appropriations and funds made available and author-
ity granted pursuant to this Act shall be available until 
whichever of the following first occurs: 
(1) The enactment into law of an appropriation 
(including a continuing appropriation) for any pur-
pose for which amounts are made available in sec-
tion 2. 
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(2) The enactment into law of the applicable 
regular or continuing appropriations resolution or 
other Act without any appropriation for such pur-
pose. 
(3) September 30, 2026. 
SEC. 4. RETROACTIVE EFFECTIVE DATE. 
This Act shall take effect as if enacted on September 
30, 2025. 
Æ 
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