WASHINGTON, April 30, 2026 — The following is attributable to Airlines for America (A4A) President and CEO Chris Sununu:

“U.S. airlines are relieved that lawmakers have finally come to an agreement to fund the Department of Homeland Security, ensuring TSA agents and Customs officers at airports are paid for their hard work to keep our airports and skies secure. In just a few weeks, the United States will welcome visitors from around the globe for FIFA World Cup and America 250 celebrations. These federal resources are critical to ensuring a smooth and successful summer. We urge President Trump to swiftly sign this legislation into law so tens of thousands of TSA agents and Customs officers can have confidence that they will be paid on time for the important job they do.

“Congress must now turn to the important task of ensuring that the agencies on the frontlines of aviation security are never again used as leverage during future government shutdowns. Federal aviation workers need to have paycheck predictability and financial stability so they can put food on the table, pay their rent and put gas in their cars. And the traveling public should never again be asked to bear the brunt of Congress’s inaction.

“Without a regular cadence of appropriations packages and with government shutdowns becoming more frequent, Congress should now ensure that the federal workers who make aviation successful are paid for their essential work in the event of any future government shutdowns.”