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Airports are in chaos while Congress checks out – in comfort

37 0
17.03.2026

If the road to hell is paved with good intentions, it probably runs straight through the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint, where some unpaid TSA agents are still showing up to work while an incompetent Congress still collects its salary.

Around the country in recent days, weary travelers waited in long security lines at major airports, and some even missed their flights. According to internal TSA statistics obtained exclusively by CBS News, about 300 agents have quit their jobs as they missed their first paycheck due to a lack of Department of Homeland Security funding.

The long lines affected several major airports, including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and two Houston airports − the George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport.

According to DHS, the partial government shutdown, which started a month ago, forces about 260,000 employees to work without pay, including TSA agents, Coast Guard personnel and Secret Service agents. 

The TSA itself isn't very effective. I think it should be scrapped, and airports should hire private security, but I know that's not likely to happen. Airport security is still vital, and TSA employees on the clock should........

© USA TODAY