10/10/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/10/2025 11:03
Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) and Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26) today introduced the Keep Air Travel Safe Act, legislation to ensure Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees are paid during government shutdowns. This bill redirects funding from President Trump's dangerous $45 billion slush fund for building and expanding new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers to support essential TSA workers during prolonged funding lapses.
"During a shutdown, TSA agents work on the frontlines keeping Americans safe, ensuring security at our airports, and keeping our aviation running, all without pay," said Dingell. "This bill makes sure their hard work is respected and their paychecks continue by redirecting unnecessary spending from President Trump's 'One Big Ugly Bill.' TSA agents should never have to choose between doing their jobs and paying their bills. Keeping TSA fully funded during a shutdown isn't just about fairness, it's about maintaining national security and public confidence in air travel."
"TSA officers serve on the frontlines of our nation's transportation system, ensuring the safety of millions of travelers every day," said Brownley. "It is completely unacceptable that, because Republicans have shut down the government, these essential officers are being forced to work without pay. Both TSA and ICE are agencies within the Department of Homeland Security, yet while TSA employees are keeping Americans safe without pay, Republicans have chosen to direct resources toward an unnecessary and already bloated account for detention centers within ICE's budget. Our priorities should be clear: we should be paying the people who keep Americans safe, not expanding detention facilities that carry out the Trump administration's cruel and inhumane immigration policies. I thank Congresswoman Dingell for her leadership on this issue, and I am proud to stand with her in supporting this timely bill."
Read the full bill text here.
Background Information
During the government shutdown, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are deemed "essential," meaning they must continue screening travelers and maintaining airport security even when federal funding lapses. Despite being required to work, they will receive no pay until the shutdown ends.
This has real consequences. During the 2018-2019 shutdown, hundreds of TSA officers called out sick or resigned after going weeks without pay, resulting in long security lines, missed flights, and temporary terminal closures at major airports.
The Keep Air Travel Safe Act serves as a critical safeguard to prevent these disruptions during extended shutdowns, ensuring TSA officers are compensated and our aviation system remains secure and functional.