H.R. 5851: Keep America Flying Act of 2026

The Keep America Flying Act of 2026 aims to ensure that essential personnel in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) continue to receive their pay and benefits, even if there is a federal government shutdown. Here is a breakdown of the key components of the bill:

Continuing Appropriations

The bill allocates necessary funds for the fiscal year 2026 to support two main groups:

• Air Traffic Controllers: The bill provides for standard pay, allowances, benefits, and other payments for air traffic controllers and essential FAA personnel whose roles are critical for maintaining the safety and orderly function of the national airspace system.
• TSA Employees: The bill also covers standard pay, allowances, and benefits for TSA employees involved in security screening operations and related support tasks necessary for airport security.

Contractor Support

In addition to paying government employees, the bill includes allocations for contractors who support both FAA and TSA personnel. This is essential to ensure that operations can continue smoothly, as these contractors play a vital role in assisting essential personnel.

Current Funding Availability

The funds appropriated by this bill will remain available until one of the following occurs:

• When a new appropriation bill is enacted that covers the same purposes.
• When a regular or continuing appropriations resolution is passed that doesn't include funds for these purposes.
• On September 30, 2026, if no other appropriations have been enacted.

Effective Date

The provisions of this bill will take effect retroactively, as if it had been enacted on September 30, 2025.

Relevant Companies

• BA (Boeing): This company may be impacted as it relies heavily on the FAA's approval and operations for its commercial and defense products. Any disruption in the FAA’s function could affect Boeing’s production and delivery schedules.
• LUV (Southwest Airlines): As an airline, Southwest Airlines is extremely dependent on the FAA's operation and air traffic control services. A shutdown would complicate operations, potentially leading to flight delays and cancellations.
• AAL (American Airlines): Similar to Southwest, American Airlines could face operational challenges without FAA support during a shutdown, affecting scheduling and safety protocols.