As the Department of Homeland Security shutdown persists amid a political stalemate over a funding lapse, Ha Nguyen McNeill, the senior official performing the duties of the administrator at the Transportation Security Administration, said during a House Homeland Security committee hearing on Wednesday that the TSA has been shut down for half of the fiscal year.
“This fiscal year, TSA has been shut down for 50% of the time, or 85 days,” she said during her opening statement.
“Ninety-five percent, or more than 61,000 of TSA’s employees must continue working without pay during a shutdown,” McNeill said.
The current DHS shutdown has been going on since mid-February, and due to the current funding lapse, TSA workers aren’t getting paid.
“Many in our workforce have missed bill payments, received eviction notices, had their cars repossessed and utilities shut off, lost their childcare, defaulted on loans, damaged their credit line, and drained their retirement savings. Some are sleeping in their cars, selling their blood and plasma, and taking on … second jobs to make ends meet. All while being expected to perform at the highest level when in uniform to protect the traveling public,” McNeill said.
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