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HR 9388 119th Congress · House

Bill to extend air passenger screening reciprocity program

Advocate

Official title: To amend title 49, United States Code, to authorize an extension of a program to permit screened passengers and their property arriving on direct flights or flight segments originating at certain foreign last point of departure airports to continue on additional flights or flight segments originating in the United States without additional screening, and for other purposes.

This bill would extend a TSA-related program that lets passengers and their checked property, after being screened on direct flights from certain foreign last-point-of-departure airports, continue on connecting flights in the United States without being screened again. It primarily affects international travelers using participating foreign airports and the airlines and airports that handle their connections. The goal is to reduce duplicate screening, speed up connections, and keep airport security procedures coordinated across borders.

  • Extends a program for screened passengers arriving from certain foreign last-point-of-departure airports.
  • Allows those passengers and their property to continue on U.S. flights without additional screening.
  • Applies to specific international arrivals and connecting domestic flight segments.
  • Placed in the House Committee on Homeland Security for review.
Public Relevance 18 / 100
Niche Narrow / procedural Broad

If you are an international traveler who connects through a U.S. airport after arriving from one of the eligible foreign last-point-of-departure airports, this bill would help you avoid being screened again before your next flight. That can save time, reduce missed connections, and make baggage handling smoother for those itineraries. For most other people, the effect is indirect and limited to airport operations and travel logistics.

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Bill
HR 9388
Congress
119th Congress
Official title
To amend title 49, United States Code, to authorize an extension of a program to permit screened passengers and their property arriving on direct flights or flight segments originating at certain foreign last point of departure airports to continue on additional flights or flight segments originating in the United States without additional screening, and for other purposes.
Policy area
Immigration
Latest action
Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security. (June 23, 2026)
Last updated
June 24, 2026
FOR
  • International travelers with U.S. connections They benefit from fewer repeated screening steps, shorter connection times, and less risk of missing onward flights. The program makes travel more predictable without changing the security checks done at the initial departure point.
  • Airlines and airport operators Reducing redundant screening can ease congestion, improve on-time performance, and simplify transfer operations. That can make hub airports more efficient and reduce disruption for passengers and staff.
  • Aviation security officials A trusted-airport framework can focus resources on screening where it matters most while keeping standardized security practices in place. Extending the program preserves a security model that has already been used for eligible routes.
AGAINST
  • Security hawks and some aviation watchdogs They may argue that any reduction in repeat screening creates a potential weak point if foreign standards change or are unevenly enforced. Their concern is that convenience could outrun caution.
  • Passengers who do not benefit from the program Travelers on non-eligible routes may see the policy as uneven, since only certain airports and flight paths receive the shortcut. They may question why some passengers get streamlined treatment while others do not.
  • Airport screening contractors and related vendors Fewer re-screening events could reduce demand for some checkpoint staffing and screening services at connecting airports. Any operational efficiency can shift work away from downstream screening facilities.
  • “authorize an extension of a program”

    This means Congress would keep the existing screening arrangement available beyond its current end date, rather than letting it lapse. For eligible travelers, the practical result is continued access to a faster connection process.

  • “screened passengers and their property”

    The bill is not just about people moving through the airport; it also covers checked or accompanying belongings. That matters because duplicate baggage screening can create delays and handling complications.

  • “continue on additional flights… without additional screening”

    This is the core operational change: once the passenger is screened at the foreign departure point, the U.S. connection does not trigger a second round of screening. The benefit is less time at the airport, but the system depends on trusted screening standards at the origin airport.

  • “certain foreign last point of departure airports”

    The program is limited to specific foreign airports that meet U.S. security requirements. That narrows the reach of the bill and means the convenience applies only to selected international routes.

  • “for other purposes”

    This standard legislative phrase signals that the bill may also include related administrative or technical provisions tied to the same screening program. In practice, that can affect how the Transportation Security Administration and airlines implement the extension.

June 23, 2026

Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.

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