The Department of Homeland Security could run out of money in days, raising concerns about longer airport security lines and prompting discussions about privatizing elements of the Transportation Security Administration.
The department has been shut down since Feb. 14. At the end of March, President Donald Trump announced emergency funding could be used to pay employees like TSA agents. The Secretary of Homeland Security warned that funding is set to dry up in early May.
TSA AFGE Union Representative Johnny Jones said over 1,000 of his colleagues have quit in recent months because of the funding disputes in Washington.
"The amount of people leaving the agency is accelerating," Jones said.
"You could have a lot longer lines going through the airport," Jones said.
The Department of Homeland Security highlighted on social media how resignations are hurting planning efforts.
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"Ahead of the FIFA World Cup and summer travel, this loss has SIGNIFICANTLY decreased TSA's ability to meet passenger demand and left critical gaps in staffing, as each new recruit requires 4-6 MONTHS of training," the Department of Homeland Security said.
Congress appears to still be far apart on a solution. The Senate passed bipartisan legislation to fund most of the department, including the TSA. House leadership has issues with the bill and is seeking changes, further prolonging the longest shutdown of any kind in U.S. history.
"We have to move DHS funding because it's urgent," Speaker Mike Johnson said.
The ticking clock for TSA workers is putting an increased spotlight on proposals to expand the use of private partnerships. This would allow core functions to be performed by employees who are not tied to an official government paycheck, which was the focus of a recent congressional hearing.
"What this does is leverage the power of private public partnerships. If this year has demonstrated anything it is the TSA workforce and operations cannot depend on predictable congressional funding," Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill said.
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Jones said his union does not support privatization efforts, despite the emotional and financial strain from recent shutdowns.
"You could never compromise security for profit," Jones said.
