By Kirk Furey
Boulder Municipal Airport (Kirk Furey/Radio 1190)
Over the past month, travelers to major airports have felt the heavy impact of the recent struggle to pass funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). These funding issues have resulted in Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers having to work without pay, with some not showing up to work at all as a result.
Acting Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the DHS, Lauren Bis, pointed the blame at Democrats in congress. “The Democrats’ reckless DHS shutdown is causing TSA officers to go without pay for the third time in nearly six months,” Bis said. Democrats, however, point the blame at Republicans for blocking funding, with Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren releasing a statement on her Facebook page saying “Congressional Republicans are holding TSA workers’ pay hostage” during the ongoing negotiations.
Although major airports have been affected by the funding cuts, many smaller regional airports around the country have been impacted as well. According to Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl, the cuts to funding put smaller airports at risk of having to close entirely. “Frankly, there’s not much else we can do,” Stahl said in an interview with Fox and Friends. “… If this continues, it’s not hyperbole to suggest that we may have to quite literally shut down airports, particularly smaller ones, if callout rates go up… A lot of those officers can’t afford to come in,” he said. Although no airports in Colorado have yet to close, they are still being affected in other ways through long waits and service delays.
With the partial government shutdown continuing on well into April, it looks uncertain as to when a DHS funding decision will be reached.