US Federal House Bill HB8701

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/7/26
• Refer: 5/7/26

Caption

Transportation Security Administration Transfer Act of 2026

Summary

HB 8701, the Transportation Security Administration Transfer Act of 2026, would move the functions of the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) from the TSA Administrator to the Secretary of Transportation. The bill keeps TSA in place as a distinct entity within the Department of Transportation, but shifts the legal authority for carrying out TSA’s functions to the Secretary. It also includes standard transfer provisions to ensure that existing rules, orders, permits, contracts, proceedings, and lawsuits continue without interruption after the transfer. The bill further directs that references in federal law, regulations, executive orders, and related documents to the former TSA head or office be read as references to the new receiving office or official. It authorizes the Office of Management and Budget to make incidental transfers of personnel, property, records, funds, and liabilities needed to implement the change, and it preserves pending administrative proceedings and judicial actions. The bill also repeals the Homeland Security Act provision that currently places TSA in the Department of Homeland Security and amends title 49 to state that TSA is maintained in the Department of Transportation as a distinct entity.

Impact

If enacted, the bill would significantly reorganize federal aviation security governance by relocating TSA’s leadership authority from the Department of Homeland Security framework to the Department of Transportation. It would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and title 49 of the U.S. Code, while preserving continuity for existing TSA operations, legal instruments, and pending matters. The practical effect would be a statutory realignment of TSA’s chain of command and administrative oversight, with the Secretary of Transportation assuming the functions currently exercised by the TSA Administrator.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to be a structural reorganization proposal rather than a policy overhaul, and there is no recorded committee debate or vote history in the provided materials. The introduction by members from both parties suggests at least some bipartisan interest in the concept. Because the bill was referred onward without recorded action in the supplied context, there is no clear evidence of broad support or opposition from the available record.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely to be whether TSA should remain under the Department of Homeland Security or be moved under the Department of Transportation, since that change affects oversight, chain of command, and the broader federal homeland security structure. Supporters may view the bill as an administrative streamlining measure that better aligns TSA with transportation policy, while critics may argue that removing TSA from DHS could weaken integration with national security functions. No specific objections or endorsements are documented in the provided transcripts, so these are the likely policy fault lines rather than recorded positions.