We're hearing from some of the federal TSA agents in Minnesota, working without pay as the shutdown continues on with no end in sight.
Morale is low among the agents worried about how to make ends meet.
"When you've got somebody running the X-ray and they're looking to see if there are bombs or guns or something in the bag, you want them paying attention to what they're looking at on the X-ray screen," explains Paul Eckert who works at the airport in Duluth, Minnesota. "Not thinking about how am I going to pay for my child care, how am I going to afford food? Can I get gas to be able to come into work tomorrow?"
Eckert says these workers getting a break from paying their bills is a difficult proposition.
"The agency has provided a letter that we can give to creditors to hopefully get some kind of an agreement from them, although that's up to the creditor whether they're going to honor it," Eckert explains. "We've had, I know of at least one person who gave it to their landlord, and the landlord said, 'nope, rent's due when it's due and it's $50 a day late fee.'"
And while some of the agents are calling in sick Eckert doesn't think it's being done as a protest.
"No, people are mostly not calling out in protest," Eckert explains. "There are a lot of callouts, and most of the callouts because of the fact that they can't get money for gas to put in their tank to drive to work. They can't pay for their daycare for their kids. So they got to stay home. Whatever the reason may be, they are not able to do it because they just can't afford it because they have no paycheck."
Eckert says they are getting help, with people donating food and gas cards.
The Senate adjourned on Thursday and won't meet again until Monday, extending the government shutdown until at least its 34th day, which would match the longest funding lapse in U.S. history.