Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The partial government shutdown is now in its fifth week, and Congressman Nick Langworthy is calling on Democrats to get back to resolving this so TSA agents and others can get paid and travelers can fly normally.
"I fight against all government shutdowns, they don't work," says Langworthy. "They don't accomplish anything but shuttering the Department of Homeland Security and all the essential agencies that are contained within it is a new low."
Langworthy says DHS is not just Border Patrol. "It's our entire Immigrations and Customs operation. It's the Coast Guard, it's FEMA, it's our counterterrorism and cyber threat units, and it's the TSA. And I don't care what political party you're in, no one who's been elected to serve should ever, ever use our national security as a political bargaining chip and the 100,000 hard working men and women who serve in these critical capacities should never be used as political pawns," adds Langworthy.
Langworthy says this has to be discussed every single day, noting aviation safety has been at the top of his priorities. "Unfortunately, if you're not flying and there's no delays at your airport, this might not be top of mind to you, because your life might not be affected. We need public awareness to be there," says Langworthy.
"We keep seeing Austin, Texas as one of those choke points where there's four hour lines at the airport. Same for Atlanta, which is a major hub for many of the flights that go across the East Coast. That is going to interrupt a lot of people's travel, whether it be for business or pleasure, what they're looking to go on trips, it's going to be interrupted, and people are having to show up at hellish early hours to make that flight."
Langworthy notes Democrats in the Senate during the DOGE process were calling out Republicans for disrespecting federal workers. "I can't think of a more disrespectful way to treat federal workers when your essential employees have had to show up during three different shutdowns this year and work without a paycheck, and they're mandated to show up," notes Langworthy.
Langworthy has proposed a bill to ensure TSA workers get paid. "The Pay TSA Act of 2026 would address this gap by ending the diversion of passenger paid security fee revenues away from aviation security and instead dedicating those funds directly to a sustaining TSA operations," says Langworthy.
Langworthy's bill would establish a Transportation Security Trust Fund to ensure that the security fees collected from travelers are used exclusively for aviation security purposes in the event of a government shutdown.
The trust fund would allow TSA officers to continue receiving pay and support the continuity of airport screening and security operations. "Under my bill, funding would be first prioritized to compensate TSA personnel, and any remaining funds could then be used to strengthen aviation security through investments in technology upgrades and airport infrastructure improvements. By making this bill law, we will send a huge message to the men and women of the TSA that we actually value and respect their service, that we won't treat their lives as political pawns in a game which is what's going on now," adds Langworthy.
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney says in a statement, “Senate Democrats are directly responsible for this shutdown and the chaos Americans are now experiencing at our airports. TSA agents are being forced to work without pay while travelers face hours-long delays, all because Democrats are playing political games with our national security. The House has already acted. Senate Democrats must stop the obstruction, pass the funding bill, and fully reopen the government immediately.”
Congressman Tim Kennedy says in a statement, “Republicans control the White House, the House of Representatives, and the Senate - they own this shutdown. They are the ones who have an obligation to bring it to an end and ensure that vital agencies like FEMA, TSA, and the Coast Guard receive the funding their employees deserve and the American people need. Despite Republican inaction, Democrats are pushing to bring legislation to the House floor that would fund critical DHS agencies that are not participating in unconstitutional, illegal mass deportations and violence in American communities. Donald Trump and his Congressional Republican enablers made this mess, yet they have proven unable and unwilling to clean it up.”