TULSA, Okla. — The partial government shutdown reached a historic 45 days, making it the longest ever, but Transportation Security Administration agents will begin receiving back pay as soon as March 30.
TSA employees have been working for the last six weeks without a paycheck. An executive order signed by President Trump last week allows the workers to start receiving pay.
Previous Coverage>>>Trump directs DHS to 'immediately pay' TSA agents impacted by government shutdown
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said more than 500 TSA agents have quit since the partial shutdown began Feb. 14, and thousands have called out. This has left thousands of travelers in hours-long lines waiting to get through security.
Negotiations took a major hit on Friday when House Republicans passed a short-term funding bill expected to die in the Senate. The House vote came hours after the Senate passed a bipartisan bill to fund DHS, while leaving out Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Protection. House Republicans rejected the Senate bill because it excluded ICE and Border Patrol funding.
National Politics
Democrats decline a new GOP proposal to fund DHS, keeping shutdown in effect
Democrats are demanding major changes to immigration enforcement before they will support full DHS funding. Lawmakers are now on a two-week Easter recess.
Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press" and said the best way to avoid future shutdowns is to keep lawmakers working until the job gets done and to make sure federal workers are not caught in the middle.
"The simplicity of that bill is to pay the federal workers. Make sure everything's taken care of on the programs. But members of Congress are in session seven days a week until we solve the funding issues. That should be the way we actually solve this. My focus is that we should never have government shutdowns on any of these areas," Lankford said.
"I've got a bill that ends government shutdowns forever. You and I have talked about it before. This is a bipartisan bill. I believe we have enough support in the Senate right now. We want to move this to the House, but I believe that we should never leave Washington D.C., until everything is funded. But we should never get to a moment where we're not paying federal workers," Lankford said.
Other leaders in Oklahoma are thanking TSA agents for their work during this time.
Gov. Kevin Stitt said in a statement, "Grateful for the TSA men and women who continue to stand watch through this shutdown, protecting travelers and keeping our airports running. You embody the Oklahoma Standard- your service and sacrifice do not go unnoticed."
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