WASHINGTON: The United States Senate moved on Friday (Mar 27) to end a budget standoff that has forced thousands of airport security staff to work without pay and caused long delays at airports.
A lapse in government funding has left Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff – who screen passengers, baggage and cargo – working without pay since mid-February.
Airports in several cities have warned travellers to arrive hours earlier than usual because of long security lines.
The funding dispute centred on demands by opposition Democrats for reforms of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authority, which has faced nationwide criticism of its aggressive tactics against undocumented immigrants and for the killings of two US citizens this year.
Senators voted in favour of a bill shortly after 2am to fund all of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – which is the TSA’s parent agency – except ICE and Border Patrol, for 2026.
The bill would provide funding for the TSA, the Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, among other agencies.
It must now be passed by the House.