President Donald Trump has signed a promised executive action that will pay TSA officers amid the partial government shutdown.
The move comes after a Senate-approved bill to fund some DHS agencies, including the TSA, died in the House on Friday afternoon.
"America’s air travel system has reached its breaking point," Trump said in the memo authorizing the payments, according to the Associated Press. "I have determined that these circumstances constitute an emergency situation compromising the Nation’s security."
The administration will use "funds that have a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations" to pay workers.
New Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said TSA workers "should begin seeing paychecks as early as Monday."
Tens of thousands of TSA screeners have already missed multiple paychecks, prompting hundreds to quit and thousands more to call in sick. The result has been hours-long wait times at airports across the country.
Delta Air Lines praised the Trump administration's actions.
"Delta is grateful that the executive order announced today by the President will restore pay to TSA professionals, and we thank them for working to keep our airports secure during the partial government shutdown," the airline said in a statement. "We also thank our customers for their patience amid longer-than-usual security lines, and our employees for taking care of our customers during a challenging time for travel."
The U.S. Travel Association also lauded Trump's decision.
"We commend President Trump and Secretary Mullin for stepping in to ensure TSA officers are paid and checkpoint operations remain efficient at airports across the country. Their actions prevent Congress from continuing to use American travelers and critical aviation workers as political leverage during this shutdown," the organization said on Friday.
"Twice in just six months, partisan disputes unrelated to aviation have disrupted our nation’s air travel system—costing the U.S. economy billions of dollars and impacting tens of millions of travelers. The lesson is clear: it is not a winning strategy—for air travelers, aviation stability, or the economy—to rely on Congress to do its job and pay frontline aviation safety and security personnel."
"Moving forward, we should adopt President Trump’s approach during all future shutdowns and ensure critical aviation workers are paid," U.S. Travel added. "We are calling on Congress to pass legislation modeled after President Trump’s actions to guarantee pay for TSA officers and air traffic controllers during all future government shutdowns. This will protect them—and the traveling public—from endless chaos."
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