The keyword phrase "September 11th Security Fee United States" functions as a noun phrase. The core of this phrase is the proper noun "September 11th Security Fee," which is the official name of a specific financial charge. Identifying it as a noun is crucial because it establishes the main subject of the article as a distinct entity: a specific, government-mandated fee. The article's focus should be on defining, analyzing, and explaining this fee itself.
The September 11th Security Fee is a charge imposed by the United States government on passengers of commercial airlines for flights originating in the U.S. It was established by the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, which was enacted in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The fee's purpose is to fund the security-related activities of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), including passenger and baggage screening at airports. The fee is collected by airlines at the time of ticket purchase and remitted to the federal government. As of current regulations, the fee is set at a rate of $5.60 per one-way trip, capped at $11.20 for a round-trip ticket. This is distinct from other airline ticket charges, such as Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs) or federal segment taxes, which fund different aspects of airport and aviation infrastructure.
As the central topic (a noun phrase), an article should analyze this fee as a policy instrument. The focus would be on its history, its direct link to post-9/11 security enhancements, its role in the TSA's budget, and its economic impact on both the airline industry and travelers. The analysis would concern the effectiveness and justification of using a direct passenger fee to finance national security functions, rather than funding them solely through general tax revenue. Therefore, the fee is not just a line item on a ticket but a tangible, ongoing financial consequence of the 9/11 attacks that directly affects millions of passengers.
