Senate Funding Agreement Faces Uncertainty Amid Ongoing DHS Shutdown

Ha Nguyen McNeill, who leads the TSA, addressed the House Homeland Security Committee, highlighting the urgent issues plaguing air travel. She urged Congress to allocate funds to the Department of Homeland Security, insisting on measures to prevent such crises from occurring again.

According to McNeill, the ongoing shutdown has resulted in the loss of over 480 transportation security officers, with an increasing number of staff calling in sick. In some airports, absenteeism affects up to 50% of the workforce on certain days.

“We’ve recorded the longest wait times in TSA’s history, with some exceeding four and a half hours,” McNeill explained. “The situation has forced us to consolidate security lanes, and we might have to shut down operations at smaller airports due to insufficient staffing. The scenario remains fluid, challenging, and unpredictable.”

McNeill also reported a dramatic rise in assaults on TSA officers, with incidents increasing more than fivefold since the shutdown began.

The TSA chief warned that if the shutdown persists through Friday, the agency will have accumulated nearly $1 billion in unpaid wages.

“This has led to the highest wait times in TSA history, with some wait times greater than four and a half hours,” McNeill said. “We are being forced to consolidate lanes and may have to close smaller airports if we do not have enough officers. It is a fluid, challenging and unpredictable situation.”

McNeill said they have also seen a more than 500% increase in the frequency of assaults on TSA officers since the shutdown began. 

The TSA official said if the agency remains shut down on Friday, “we will have reached nearly $1 billion in missed paychecks.” 

“This level of disruption is unprecedented and unacceptable and significantly undermines the security of U.S. transportation systems,” she added.

McNeill said many in TSA’s workforce have missed bill payments, received eviction notices, had cars repossessed or utilities shut off. 

“Some are sleeping in their cars, selling their blood and plasma, and taking on second jobs to make ends meet,” she said. “All while being expected to perform at the highest level when in uniform to protect the traveling public.”