S. 4123: End Special Treatment for Congress at Airports Act of 2026

This bill, known as the "End Special Treatment for Congress at Airports Act of 2026," aims to eliminate any preferential treatment that members of Congress receive when going through airport security screenings. The key points of the bill are as follows:

Purpose

The primary goal is to ensure that Members of Congress are subject to the same security screening processes as all other travelers at airports, thus removing any expedited or preferential access they previously enjoyed.

Prohibition of Preferential Access

• No funding from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) can be used to give Members of Congress expedited screening or access.
• Members of Congress will not be allowed to bypass standard security screening procedures.
• They cannot receive priority access to screening locations based on their official positions.

Definitions

The bill provides specific definitions for key terms used within it:

• Administrator: Refers to the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration.
• Member of Congress: Defined according to a specific section of federal law.
• Screening location: Defined based on federal regulations regarding security screenings.
• Trusted Traveler Program: A voluntary program that expedites the clearance of pre-approved travelers.

Clarifications

• The bill does not restrict the TSA's ability to implement security programs that are available to the general public.
• Members of Congress are still allowed to participate in the Trusted Traveler Program, as long as their participation is not based on their official roles.

Implementation and Reporting

• The Administrator of the TSA is responsible for updating policies to comply with the bill.
• A report on the implementation and compliance with the bill must be submitted to Congress within 180 days after it is enacted.

Relevant Companies

• None found