The Senate quietly passed legislation that would require lawmakers to join the general public in airport security lines, ending a long-held privilege, as the Homeland Security shutdown continues.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, pushed the End Special Treatment for Congress at Airports Act, which unanimously passed the upper chamber. The bill comes the DHS shutdown snarls air travel.
Chaotic scenes are unfolding at airports across the country, particularly in Houston, Atlanta, New Orleans and New York, with security lines stretching for blocks. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees are going without pay, and many are not reporting to work.
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Despite increasing delays and hardships for both federal workers and travelers, Senate Democrats have so far not backed down from their shutdown position as they pursue stricter reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Cornyn said on the Senate floor that the “only reason I can fathom, other than being completely out of touch, that our Democratic colleagues would do this is because not all members of Congress are being forced to experience the same mess of their own making right now.”
“As many Americans probably don’t know — but most of us in Washington do — airports around the country allow members of Congress to bypass the usual TSA security screening process,” Cornyn said.
“In other words, they get to skip the line,” he continued. “This should end today. Instead of enduring the same travel tribulations and security requirements that everyone else has to meet, members of Congress are getting an unfair perk while TSA officers have to work without pay.”
Cornyn’s bill would do just that, requiring lawmakers to undergo the same TSA screening as the general public and halt federal funds used to provide expedited or preferential access at security checkpoints.
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It would also prevent lawmakers from skipping standard screening or receiving priority treatment based on their official status, but would allow them to continue participating in TSA PreCheck or similar programs.
While the bill passed the Senate, it must still be considered in the House before it can become law.
The legislation comes as both sides of the aisle acknowledge the situation at the nation’s airports. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Democrats have tried and failed to pass a standalone funding bill for TSA as the shutdown continues — in part to ease airport disruptions and shift blame to Republicans.
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans have been blocked five times in their attempts to reopen the entire agency, along with several other efforts to pass temporary funding.
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