Bills · S 997
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
Senate BillS 997Government Operations and Politics
Rights for the TSA Workforce Act
INTRO MAR 12· LAST ACTION MAR 12
READING
20MIN
COSPONSORS
34
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed Senate
Passed House
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because it could significantly impact the working lives of tens of thousands of TSA employees, potentially leading to improved pay, benefits, and stronger job protections. For voters, this could translate to a more stable, experienced, and motivated TSA workforce, which in turn might enhance airport security, improve passenger experience, and reduce high employee turnover rates that some argue plague the agency.
If this bill becomes law, TSA employees would gain rights similar to most other federal workers, potentially boosting morale and making TSA jobs more attractive. If the bill does not pass, TSA employees would continue to operate under their current, separate personnel system, which some critics contend offers fewer protections and contributes to higher attrition compared to other federal agencies. The debate often centers on whether the benefits of increased employee rights outweigh the potential loss of managerial flexibility for the TSA in a critical security environment.
KEY PROVISIONS
4AI-extractedPROVISION 01
The bill mandates that all existing special personnel management systems used by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will cease to be in effect.
This provision is the core change, eliminating the unique rules that currently govern TSA employees.
PROVISION 02
All TSA employees, including Transportation Security Officers, will be brought under the standard federal personnel system outlined in Title 5 of the United States Code.
This grants TSA employees the same rights, pay structures, and protections as most other federal government workers.
PROVISION 03
During the transition period until full conversion, TSA is restricted from creating new personnel policies or modifying existing ones, except for routine pay adjustments or responses to emerging security threats.
This ensures a smooth transition by preventing the agency from implementing new rules that might conflict with the upcoming Title 5 conversion.
PROVISION 04
The full conversion of TSA personnel to the Title 5 system must be completed by December 31, 2025.
This sets a clear, mandatory timeline for the agency to implement the significant changes and integrate its workforce into the standard federal system.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 34
D· Hawaii
YRS IN OFFICE
13
BILLS LED
60
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 32 REP 0 IND 2
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSMAR 12
Introduced in Senate
MAR 12
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
BILL INFO
TypeSenate Bill
NumberS 997
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedMar 12, 2025
Last actionMar 12, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED MAR 12, 2025
Senate BillS 997Government Operations and Politics
Rights for the TSA Workforce Act
INTRODUCED MAR 12, 2025· LAST ACTION MAR 12, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
20 min
COSPONSORS
34
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
