Mackenzie, Foushee Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Air Travel for Families With Young Children

Washington, D.C. — This week, Congressman Ryan Mackenzie (PA-07) and Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04) introduced the bipartisan Improving Travel for American Families Act — legislation aimed at reducing the strain and hassle of the airport screening process for families traveling with young children.

The legislation directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to establish a pilot program at a minimum of five airports to test alternative screening lanes and approaches specifically designed to better accommodate families traveling with children age 12 and under. The pilot program would prioritize airports with high volumes of family travel and evaluate ways to improve the passenger experience while maintaining security standards.

“As the father of two young children, I know firsthand that the existing TSA screening process creates an added layer of stress for families already navigating the challenges of travel,” said Congressman Mackenzie. “Parents must wrestle with strollers, bags, and young children while trying to move through security lines that were not designed with families in mind. The bipartisan Improving Travel for American Families Act takes a commonsense approach to improving the travel experience — helping families move through the process more smoothly while ensuring security remains the top priority.”

“As more families take to the skies each year, we must ensure our airport security systems are prepared to move travelers safely and efficiently through increasingly crowded airports,” said Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04). “The Improving Travel for American Families Act will allow TSA to pilot more efficient, family focused screening approaches while maintaining rigorous security standards. I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with Congressman Mackenzie that will reduce delays, improve the passenger experience, and make air travel work better for families.”

The legislation builds on TSA’s existing “Families on the Fly” initiative by expanding efforts to make airport screening more manageable and efficient for families traveling with young children. Under the bill, TSA would evaluate participating airports based on passenger volume, available space for enhanced family screening lanes, and staffing capacity. TSA would provide Congress with a briefing on the pilot program’s findings within one year of enactment. 

Bill text available HERE.

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