Trump official: Administration can’t shift funds for TSA workers amid shutdown
The piece reports that the White House cannot repurpose funds to pay TSA workers during the partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, due to TSA’s discretionary appropriations structure. Key points include:
– The administration cannot shift funds from other accounts to cover TSA and other DHS personnel, a move it used during last year’s shutdown for military payroll but cannot repeat now.
– Democrats want to reopen the government by funding all of DHS except ICE, preferring Congress to appropriate the money rather than the administration reallocating funds.
– Senate Majority Leader John Thune floated a potential White House lifeline to pay unpaid DHS workers, especially TSA, as negotiations over immigration enforcement with Democrats proceed. This would relieve pressure on Republicans to pass a DHS funding bill that excludes ICE.
– The discussions occur as the shutdown drags on, with Thune urging a solution that would keep workers employed and Schumer saying the ball is in Republicans’ court to fund DHS.
– The article notes that last year’s tax-and-spending package already funds ICE through 2029, reducing immediate pressure to fund ICE now, and an editor’s note clarifies TSA’s discretionary funding constraints.
– A related photo and links to recommended stories accompany the report.
Shifting funds to pay TSA workers during shutdown not an option: Trump official
The White House is unable to repurpose funding to pay workers at the Transportation Security Administration during the partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, a senior administration official told the Washington Examiner.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) floated the option as a possible lifeline for those going unpaid at TSA and other DHS agencies amid “slow-moving” immigration enforcement negotiations with Democrats in exchange for funding.
But a senior administration official, granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said Thursday that because of the discretionary appropriations structure for TSA, the White House budget office cannot shift funds from other accounts as it did during last year’s shutdown to pay military troops with unspent research, development, and procurement defense funds.
Instead, the official pressed for Democrats, who are blocking funding until a deal is reached on new restrictions for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to relent on their demands.
“[The] best way to get TSA paid is for Democrats to vote to reopen the government and not hold this key funding hostage,” the official said.
During negotiations prior to the partial shutdown that began Feb. 14, Democrats pushed to fund everything under DHS except ICE to limit the shutdown’s impact. They wanted Congress to appropriate the funds rather than the administration shuffling money around as it did for defense spending during last year’s prolonged shutdown.
Thune suggested Wednesday that the White House might have the authority and resources to step in for unpaid workers under DHS, particularly at TSA, underscoring the lack of progress toward a deal on Democratic demands to restrict President Donald Trump’s deportation agenda in exchange for overcoming a filibuster. The approach would take pressure off Democrats while allowing Republicans to sidestep the scrutiny of passing a spending bill that omits ICE.
Trump’s massive tax and spending legislation that passed last year funds ICE into 2029, including during the shutdown, as well as other federal law enforcement officials at DHS agencies like the Secret Service, lowering pressure to fund the department immediately.
“Anything you can do to keep people employed,” Thune told reporters Wednesday. “If they can figure out a way to pay government employees, absolutely. These are people who have jobs and have commitments and have families.”
On Thursday, he described bipartisan talks on ICE as “slow-moving” but maintained “hope for a breakthrough.”
THUNE FLOATS WHITE HOUSE LIFELINE FOR UNPAID DHS WORKERS AS SHUTDOWN DRAGS ON
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said the ball was in Republicans’ court to fund DHS after submitting their latest counteroffer to the White House more than a week ago.
“Very simply, all they have to do is agree with our simple ideas that every police department — just about — in America follows, and we’ll get it all done,” Schumer said. “It’s plain and simple.”
Editor’s note: This piece was updated to reflect the specific discretionary appropriations structure for TSA.
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