“I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country.”
Elon Musk on Saturday offered to cover the salaries of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees amid the ongoing partial government shutdown over Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding
"I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country," Musk wrote in a post on X.
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2035306094281855336?s=20
The funding lapse has left TSA, which operates under DHS, with a lack of funding for several weeks. TSA officers are classified as essential employees, meaning they are required to report to work even during a shutdown, but their pay is delayed until the funding is restored.
The lack of pay has contributed to staffing shortages and increased wait times at airports nationwide. In recent days, travelers in major hubs, including Houston, Atlanta, and Philadelphia, have faced security lines exceeding three hours. Last Tuesday, approximately 10 percent of TSA workers nationwide called out of work.
TSA and airlines have been essentially urging passengers to arrive at airports well in advance of their scheduled departures to avoid missing flights.
Federal lawmakers remain divided over DHS funding. Democratic legislators have pushed for a funding bill that excludes money for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). On Monday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries encouraged fellow Democrats to support a discharge petition that would fund DHS agencies except ICE.
DHS, meanwhile, has continued to blast Democrats for TA officers going without pay.
“The Democrats’ reckless DHS shutdown is causing TSA officers to go without pay for the third time in nearly six months,” said Lauren Bis, Acting Assistant Secretary, in a statement last week. “These political stunts are causing unneeded financial hardship for our TSA officers and their families. Now, 366 TSA officers have left the force. Because of this DHS shutdown, Americans are facing HOURS long waits at airports across the country. Democrats must reopen DHS now.”
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