Legislative / Political Committee

Cameron Cochems

Local Legislative/Political Coordinator

Cameron.Cochems@local1127.com

Cameron received the 2025 Legislative Political Coordinator (LPC) of the Year. For his outstanding activism to advance the legislative an political mission of AFGE.

Current political activities your Local is involved in...

United States Senate 2795 Faster Act

US S2795

FASTER Act Funding for Aviation Screeners and Threat Elimination Restoration Act

This bill is NOW in Committee

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Bill Summary

A bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to ensure that revenues collected from passengers as aviation security fees are used to help finance the costs of aviation security screening by repealing a requirement that a portion of such fees be credited as offsetting receipts and deposited in the general fund of the Treasury.

Summary

This bill, known as the FASTER Act (Funding for Aviation Screeners and Threat Elimination Restoration Act), aims to modify how aviation security fees are collected and used. Currently, a portion of these fees collected from passengers are credited to the general fund of the Treasury, which means they are not directly used for aviation security purposes. The bill would repeal existing requirements that mandate a portion of these fees be deposited into the general fund, instead ensuring that all aviation security fees are deposited into a separate Treasury account specifically dedicated to paying for aviation security screening activities and services. By making this change, the bill guarantees that the money collected from passengers through security fees will be directly used to support the costs of airport security screening, rather than being diverted to other government spending. This technical amendment aligns the funding mechanism more closely with the original intent of the security fee, which is to support the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) screening operations.

Shutdown Fairness Act (S. 3168 and H.R. 7137)

Shutdown Fairness Act

Senate bill 3168

House bill 7137

As tens of thousands of federal employees go without pay during the latest funding stalemate, AFGE National President Everett Kelley is calling on Congress to pass legislation to ensure federal employees are paid during shutdowns.

Funding for most operations at the Department of Homeland Security ran out on Feb. 14 when a continuing resolution expired. Most DHS workers are excepted from the shutdown, meaning they must report to work even though they are not being paid during the shutdown.

“These essential workers have already endured a 43-day government shutdown last fall and a 4-day shutdown earlier this year and have continued to serve the American people with pride,” President Kelley said in a Feb. 27 press statement. “AFGE members are tired of the being forced on this roller coaster every time their elected officials fail to do their jobs.”

AFGE is calling on Congress to pass the Shutdown Fairness Act (S. 3168 and H.R. 7137), which protects federal employees’ livelihoods by requiring the government to pay workers in full and on time during future government shutdowns.

“Government shutdowns are harmful to federal employees, their families, and our economy. No employees should have to go without a paycheck on payday. It is unacceptable, unjust, and un-American,” Kelley said.

Abolish TSA Act of 2025 - Bad, Bad, & Bad

Yes this is for REAL Senator Mike Lee (UT) introduced this bill

This bill abolishes the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in three years and directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) develop a reorganization plan for the TSA, which is subject to congressional approval.

DHS must submit a reorganization plan for the TSA to Congress within 90 days of the bill’s enactment.

The reorganization plan must include the establishment of the Office of Aviation Security Oversight within the Federal Aviation Administration; the rapid transfer of all aviation security activities and equipment to qualified private screening companies; any necessary changes to TSA’s Screening Partnership Program, which currently allows commercial airports to use private screening companies for airport screening services; proportional reductions of operations and personnel until the transfer is complete; and the transfer to the Department of Transportation of TSA functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities; related to surface transportation; (e.g., activities relating to mass transit and freight rail). The bill specifies that no employee of the new office shall conduct airport screening services. Further, the plan may not include any agency requirement or regulation compelling private contractors conducting airport security screening services to conduct warrantless searches and seizures. DHS must submit a progress report to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and Congress within 60 days of the bill’s enactment and every 30 days thereafter. The GAO must submit a report to Congress every 180 days detailing DHS’s compliance with this bill.