Will your travel plans be impacted by the looming government shutdown? DHS officials weigh in

Congress faces a deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security, with potential impacts on airport security and disaster relief if a deal is not reached by Saturday.

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Congress is approaching a funding deadline for the Department of Homeland Security, which could impact airport security and disaster relief starting Saturday if lawmakers fail to reach an agreement.Travelers may experience longer wait times at airports across the country. On Wednesday, top officials from DHS agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), testified on Capitol Hill about the implications another shutdown could have on their workforce. Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill said, “The nation cannot afford the safety and security of the traveling public to be threatened by budget uncertainties. On behalf of TSA, I respectively urge Congress to provide full-year funding without delay.”During the previous shutdown, TSA workers missed paychecks, leading to an increase in unscheduled absences. McNeill also reported that TSA workers had to sleep in their cars, sell blood plasma, and take on second jobs to make ends meet. Some, she says, are still recovering.A partial shutdown would also affect the Pentagon and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Experts say FEMA should have enough money to respond to the massive winter storm still affecting parts of the country, but it could put more pressure on that fund if it needs to respond to a new disaster. Writing or renewing National Flood Insurance Program policies would be paused.The difference between the last shutdown and this possible one is that air traffic controllers would still get paid, because that funding was included in the bill President Donald Trump signed into law earlier this month.The Senate will vote today on the full-year DHS funding bill that was passed by the House. It will most likely fail. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Democrats and Republicans need more time to reach a deal on the ICE reforms Democrats are demanding. On Monday, a White House official told Hearst Television that the administration sent a counterproposal to Democrats. However, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said it’s inadequate and would not bring about the dramatic changes they’re looking for. “What I can say is that the White House is clearly not open to judicial warrants. They’re not open to detention center reform. They’re not open to independent investigations. They’re not open to prohibiting the use of excessive force,” Jeffries said. “They’re not open to the type of training that is needed in order to ensure that taxpayer dollars are not being used to brutalize American citizens or, in some cases, kill them.”Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:

WASHINGTON —

Congress is approaching a funding deadline for the Department of Homeland Security, which could impact airport security and disaster relief starting Saturday if lawmakers fail to reach an agreement.

Travelers may experience longer wait times at airports across the country.

On Wednesday, top officials from DHS agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), testified on Capitol Hill about the implications another shutdown could have on their workforce.

Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill said, “The nation cannot afford the safety and security of the traveling public to be threatened by budget uncertainties. On behalf of TSA, I respectively urge Congress to provide full-year funding without delay.”

During the previous shutdown, TSA workers missed paychecks, leading to an increase in unscheduled absences. McNeill also reported that TSA workers had to sleep in their cars, sell blood plasma, and take on second jobs to make ends meet. Some, she says, are still recovering.

A partial shutdown would also affect the Pentagon and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Experts say FEMA should have enough money to respond to the massive winter storm still affecting parts of the country, but it could put more pressure on that fund if it needs to respond to a new disaster. Writing or renewing National Flood Insurance Program policies would be paused.

The difference between the last shutdown and this possible one is that air traffic controllers would still get paid, because that funding was included in the bill President Donald Trump signed into law earlier this month.

The Senate will vote today on the full-year DHS funding bill that was passed by the House. It will most likely fail. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Democrats and Republicans need more time to reach a deal on the ICE reforms Democrats are demanding.

On Monday, a White House official told Hearst Television that the administration sent a counterproposal to Democrats. However, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said it’s inadequate and would not bring about the dramatic changes they’re looking for.

“What I can say is that the White House is clearly not open to judicial warrants. They’re not open to detention center reform. They’re not open to independent investigations. They’re not open to prohibiting the use of excessive force,” Jeffries said. “They’re not open to the type of training that is needed in order to ensure that taxpayer dollars are not being used to brutalize American citizens or, in some cases, kill them.”

Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau: