The Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) senior official appeared before Congress on Thursday, April 16, warning that the prolonged government shutdown has pushed the agency into what she called “damage control mode,” hampering technology deployment, straining its workforce, and raising serious questions about the agency’s ability to maintain operations across all 440 commercial airports it secures.
A Workforce Under Strain
Ha Nguyen McNeill, TSA’s Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Administrator, opened her testimony to the House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Homeland Security, by acknowledging that TSA employees have missed nearly $1 billion in paychecks during the multiple government shutdowns of fiscal year (FY) 2026. Despite 95 percent of the workforce being required to continue working without pay due to the agency’s national security mission, most employees have continued to report for duty.
“What we saw over the course of multiple shutdowns this year is that, as call-out rates went up, the longer the shutdown went on, we had to put on the table very real considerations as to how we were going to continue operating across the 440 airports across the nation,” McNeill told the subcommittee.
As of the hearing date, TSA had been operating under a shutdown for 109 days, which is roughly 60 percent of the fiscal year.
Technology Modernization at Risk
| An overview of each technology: |
|
Computed Tomography (CT) Baggage Screening — These are essentially the same CT scanner technology used in medical imaging, adapted for airport checkpoints. Instead of a flat 2D X-ray image of your bag, CT scanners produce a full 3D rotating image that screeners can manipulate on screen to examine contents from any angle. They’re significantly better at detecting explosives and are already being deployed at many major airports. One major passenger benefit: they often eliminate the need to remove laptops and liquids from bags. |
|
Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) — These are the machines at the ID-check podium that automatically scan and verify a passenger’s identification document. They can read the embedded chips and security features in REAL ID-compliant licenses, passports, and other documents to confirm authenticity, and cross-reference the traveler’s identity against flight reservation data. Newer CAT-2 units also incorporate facial recognition cameras, comparing a live photo of the traveler to their ID document in real time, removing the need for a TSA officer to manually inspect the document. |
|
Electronic Security Gates (e-gates) — Automated lanes that use biometric verification (typically facial recognition) to confirm a traveler’s identity without requiring manual document checks or officer interaction. A passenger approaches the gate, it scans their face, matches it against their travel document or a government database, and the gate opens if verified. They’re modeled on systems already widely used in international airports and aim to speed up checkpoint throughput significantly. |
|
Next-Generation Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) — These are the full-body scanners passengers step into at the checkpoint; the large booths where you raise your arms. Current AIT units use millimeter-wave radio frequency energy (not X-rays) to detect metallic and non-metallic threats concealed under clothing. The “next-generation” designation refers to improved detection algorithms, faster throughput, and better alarm resolution, reducing false positives that slow down lines and require additional pat-downs.
|
|
On-Person Detection Systems — This is an emerging category of technology that goes beyond the current stand-in-the-booth AIT model. These systems aim to screen passengers for concealed threats while they walk through a corridor or lane without stopping or assuming a specific pose. Think of it as a walk-through metal detector, but dramatically more sophisticated, capable of detecting non-metallic threats and requiring far less dwell time per passenger. The goal is to handle higher passenger volumes without adding more lanes or slowing throughput.
|
McNeill’s written testimony outlined a $390 million technology investment request in the FY27 President’s Budget aimed at modernizing screening checkpoints. The spending plan would fund Computed Tomography (CT) baggage screening, Credential Authentication Technology, electronic security gates, next-generation Advanced Imaging Technology, and on-person detection systems.
But she warned the shutdown has directly impeded the agency’s ability to procure and deploy that critical equipment. “Every day the shutdown drags on, the long-term implications to our security posture intensify,” McNeill said, pointing specifically to the agency’s preparations to host major upcoming events including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, America’s 250th Anniversary celebrations, and, subsequently, one of the busiest summer travel seasons on record.
Expanding Private Screening as a Buffer
A significant portion of the hearing focused on TSA’s proposal to expand its Screening Partnership Program (SPP), which contracts with private companies to perform screening at commercial airports, to approximately 254 smaller category III and IV airports. TSA classifies airports into one of five security risk categories (X, I, II, III, IV) based on various factors, such as the total number of takeoffs and landings annually, and other special security considerations. In general, category X airports have the largest number of passenger boardings and category IV airports have the smallest. – GAO
McNeill framed the expansion explicitly as a resilience measure against future funding lapses, noting that SPP screeners, unlike their federal counterparts, have not missed a paycheck during the shutdown. “What this proposal does is to leverage the strength of public-private partnerships to ensure that we put a model in place to deliver on that day-to-day operation and provide some resilience in those operations,” she told Ranking Member Henry Cuellar (D-TX), who raised concerns about the plan’s impact on airports in his and other members’ districts.
McNeill acknowledged a legislative proposal for the expansion is still being developed and committed to briefing affected members of Congress once it is formally submitted.
Aviation Security Fee Diversion
McNeill also renewed calls for Congress to stop diverting Aviation Security Passenger Fee revenue – approximately $1.6 billion annually – toward deficit reduction. The fee was established after the September 11 attacks to fund aviation security operations, but has been redirected for years. The FY27 budget formally requests legislation to end the practice.
The Road Ahead
McNeill closed by urging the House to pass the Senate DHS funding bill and advance a reconciliation measure by June 1 to restore stable funding for the agency.
“We need to return TSA and DHS back to normal order,” she said. “Paying these dedicated employees for the work they perform should never again be a point of debate.”
TSA’s full fiscal year 2027 budget request totals $11.7 billion.
TSA Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill’s written testimony is available via the House Appropriations Committee at docs.house.gov. The full hearing can be seen at appropriations.house.gov. To read more about the President’s FY27 budget request, read our article, “Trump FY2027 Budget Proposes Record Homeland Security Boost, $1.5T Defense Spending Surge.”
