White House Presses House Vote Homeland Security Budget as Funds Run Low
The White House told Congress on Tuesday that money to pay Homeland Security personnel will soon run out, pressing the House on the house vote homeland security budget before the week can move further. The warning centers on pay for Transportation Security Administration officers and other DHS workers, with federal funds for those payrolls set to be exhausted by May.
OMB Memo To Lawmakers
The Office of Management and Budget said in a late Tuesday memo that President Donald Trump’s executive actions have been keeping TSA and other workers paid. The memo warned lawmakers that “DHS will soon run out of critical operating funds, placing essential personnel and operations at risk” and said, “Restoring funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has never been more urgent, as demonstrated by recent events.”
That financing gap has left Homeland Security operating without regular funds for more than two months. Immigration enforcement workers have largely been paid through some $170 billion that Congress approved as part of Trump’s tax cuts bill last year, while other workers, including TSA, have relied on Trump’s intervention through executive action to keep paychecks moving.
House Vote Wednesday
The memo called on the House to quickly approve the budget resolution senators approved in an all-night session last week. The resolution is designed to pave the way for full funding for Homeland Security, and the House was expected to vote as soon as Wednesday before action again screeched to a halt by midday Wednesday.
Mike Johnson, the House speaker, had been facing a chamber that was slow-walking legislation to end what the article described as the longest-ever lapse in agency funding. The administration has also warned GOP lawmakers against making changes that could prolong passage.
TSA Pay And Airport Pressure
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said recently that salaries top $1.6 billion every two weeks, underscoring how quickly the current stopgap arrangements can be consumed. Airlines for America said Wednesday that “The urgency to provide predictable and stable funding for TSA is growing stronger by the day” and added, “Time and time again, our nation’s aviation workers and customers have been the victim of Congress’ failure to do their jobs.”
More than 1,000 TSA officers have quit since the shutdown began, according to Airlines for America. For travelers, the practical issue is not the broad budget fight but whether airport screening staff can keep getting paid while Congress works through the Senate resolution.
