With the possibility of a Department of Homeland Security funding lapse looming, Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill told lawmakers Wednesday that a shutdown would have immediate and lasting consequences for airport security operations and the agency’s workforce.
Testifying before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, McNeill said TSA’s mission would continue even if funding runs out — but at a cost to employees and long-term planning.
“TSA’s critical national security mission does not stop during a shutdown,” McNeill said. “ Around 95% of TSA employees are deemed essential and must continue working and protecting the traveling public during a shutdown, while not getting paid. Those 61,000 public servants live and work across the nation, working at over 430 commercial airports, within your communities, not getting paid for performing incredibly challenging and taxing jobs.”
Those employees staff more than 430 commercial airports nationwide and include Transportation Security Officers, canine handlers, Federal Air Marshals, and other frontline personnel. TSA screens roughly 3 million passengers on peak travel days.
In 2025 alone, the agency screened 906.7 million passengers, 480 million checked bags, and 2.1 billion carry-on bags. Passenger volumes reached record highs last year, with eight of the 10 busiest travel days in history occurring in 2025.
McNeill told lawmakers that many TSA employees are still recovering financially from last year’s 43-day shutdown. During that period, frontline staff continued reporting to work without pay. Some employees faced late fees, eviction notices, and disruptions to childcare arrangements, according to the testimony.
She warned that another lapse in funding could again lead to increased unscheduled absences as employees struggle to cover basic expenses. Higher call-out rates, she said, can translate into longer checkpoint wait times, missed flights, and broader ripple effects across the travel sector.
The travel industry remains a significant part of the U.S. economy, contributing about $2.9 trillion annually and supporting more than 15 million jobs. TSA’s operations sit at the center of that system.
Workforce stability is also a concern. According to McNeill’s testimony, approximately 1,110 Transportation Security Officers separated from the agency in October and November 2025 — a more than 25% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Many who left cited shutdown-related uncertainty, stress, and missed pay as factors in their decision.
TSA is currently focused on surge staffing in March, April, and May to prepare for spring break, summer travel, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the United States will host beginning in June. McNeill said another shutdown would severely affect the agency’s ability to meet those staffing needs.
Beyond personnel, she emphasized that funding instability would delay the deployment of updated screening technologies at airports nationwide. Without budget certainty, TSA risks pushing back planned upgrades designed to handle increasing passenger volumes and enhance aviation security.
TSA was established in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and McNeill reminded lawmakers of the agency’s founding mission: preventing attacks on the nation’s transportation systems.
As Congress weighs DHS funding for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2026, McNeill urged lawmakers to provide stability that would allow TSA to pay its workforce, maintain operational consistency, and continue modernizing aviation security systems ahead of what is expected to be another record-setting travel year.
(AI was used in part to facilitate this article.)
