The WATCH Personnel Act of 2026 provides emergency funding to pay Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees and maintain their operations during a budget lapse that began on February 14, 2026. The bill requires the TSA to set a minimum annual salary of $40,000 for Transportation Security Officers by June 2026, with automatic adjustments for inflation each fiscal year thereafter. All TSA employees affected by the funding gap would receive their regular pay, benefits, and allowances, plus a one-time $10,000 bonus that does not count toward retirement or other benefits. The emergency appropriation remains in effect until Congress passes a regular or continuing budget resolution for fiscal year 2026, or until September 30, 2026, whichever comes first. The bill is retroactively effective to February 13, 2026, meaning it covers all expenses from the start of the budget lapse.
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