Republicans Are Pissed About TSA Shutdown—After Blocking TSA Funding

Source: The New Republic · Bias: Left

Summary

Alabama Senator Katie Britt condemned Democrats for not funding the Transportation Security Administration, just days after she voted against her Democratic colleagues’ attempt to fund the agency. “TSA officers have gone 74 days without a paycheck in FY26 because of Democrats’ two shutdowns. This is absolutely unacceptable,” Britt wrote on X Monday. “Democrats need to end their political posturing, stop using our TSA agents as political pawns, and fully fund DHS.”But just last week, it was Britt who blocked the Democrats’ effort to fund TSA. The Department of Homeland Security is currently shut down, with Democrats demanding new policies to rein in federal immigration enforcement agencies. In an attempt at compromise, Washington Senator Patty Murray asked Wednesday for unanimous consent for a measure to fund TSA, FEMA, the U.S. Coast Guard, and other essential agencies under the Department of Homeland Security. But Britt objected. “We have political games being played by our Democratic colleagues instead of putting the people of this nation first,” Britt said at the time. “Mr. President, what we’ve just seen put forth by the senator from Washington would effectively defund our law enforcement officers that are charged with keeping Americans safe.”But clearly, it is Britt who would like to keep TSA agents unpaid for political leverage. Senate Republicans have voted six separate times against Democrats’ attempts to fund essential agencies run by the Department of Homeland Security. That’s not stopping them from blaming the long airport lines on their Democratic counterparts. “For the third time in six months, TSA officers are working without pay because of Democrat shutdowns. American livelihoods aren’t a political game. Fund DHS now,” Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis wrote on X Monday. But just days prior, while debating against the measure to fund TSA officers, it appears the answer seemed less clear to her. “We’re in a terrible conundrum here,” she said on the Senate floor.

Related Coverage

More Headlines From March 16, 2026

arallaxNews.io
Republicans Are Pissed About TSA Shutdown—After Blocking TSA Funding
The New Republic

Republicans Are Pissed About TSA Shutdown—After Blocking TSA Funding

Left

Alabama Senator Katie Britt condemned Democrats for not funding the Transportation Security Administration, just days after she voted against her Democratic colleagues’ attempt to fund the agency. “TSA officers have gone 74 days without a paycheck in FY26 because of Democrats’ two shutdowns. This is absolutely unacceptable,” Britt wrote on X Monday. “Democrats need to end their political posturing, stop using our TSA agents as political pawns, and fully fund DHS.”But just last week, it was Britt who blocked the Democrats’ effort to fund TSA. The Department of Homeland Security is currently shut down, with Democrats demanding new policies to rein in federal immigration enforcement agencies. In an attempt at compromise, Washington Senator Patty Murray asked Wednesday for unanimous consent for a measure to fund TSA, FEMA, the U.S. Coast Guard, and other essential agencies under the Department of Homeland Security. But Britt objected. “We have political games being played by our Democratic colleagues instead of putting the people of this nation first,” Britt said at the time. “Mr. President, what we’ve just seen put forth by the senator from Washington would effectively defund our law enforcement officers that are charged with keeping Americans safe.”But clearly, it is Britt who would like to keep TSA agents unpaid for political leverage. Senate Republicans have voted six separate times against Democrats’ attempts to fund essential agencies run by the Department of Homeland Security. That’s not stopping them from blaming the long airport lines on their Democratic counterparts. “For the third time in six months, TSA officers are working without pay because of Democrat shutdowns. American livelihoods aren’t a political game. Fund DHS now,” Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis wrote on X Monday. But just days prior, while debating against the measure to fund TSA officers, it appears the answer seemed less clear to her. “We’re in a terrible conundrum here,” she said on the Senate floor.

Read Full Story at Source
Republicans Are Pissed About TSA Shutdown—After Blocking TSA Funding | ParallaxNews.io