The Senate reached an agreement overnight to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security, including the Transportation Security Administration, ahead of a busy travel weekend and after 42 days of a partial government shutdown.
The bill passed unanimously in the early morning hours of Friday, March 27, after President Donald Trump said that he would pay TSA workers with or without the help of Congress.
“It is not an easy thing to do, but I am going to do it! I want to thank our hardworking TSA Agents and also ICE, for the incredible help they have given us at the Airports,” Trump posted on his Truth Social Account on March 26.
The bill funds DHS through the end of the fiscal year, except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol operations at Customs and Border Protection. It still has to pass the House of Representatives before going to Trump’s desk.
The agreement comes after historic wait times at airports across the country, which spurred Trump to send ICE agents to help TSA workers, who have been short-staffed due to employees calling out and quitting amid unpaid leave.
Here’s what to know about when TSA agents are getting paid.
Is the partial government shutdown over?
While the Senate reached an agreement overnight to fund most of DHS, the bill now moves to the House, which could vote as soon as Friday, March 27, to mostly reopen the agency, according to USA TODAY. After that vote, it would head to the president’s desk.
When will the House vote on the government shutdown?
The House could vote on the bill as early as Friday, March 27, according to several news outlets.
How long has the government been shut down?
The partial government shutdown marked 42 days on Friday, March 27.
Is TSA getting paid?
The bill’s passage through the Senate provides a path for TSA workers to get paid, though it still needs to go to the House and be signed by Trump.
Several House Democrats told Axios they plan to vote for the measure and expect their colleagues to do so as well, with little controversy.
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on x; natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma Thompson on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Is the government shutdown over? Is TSA getting paid? What to know
Reporting by Natassia Paloma, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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