Lawmakers’ airport perks in crosshairs as DHS shutdown snarls travelers, TSA
A new House bill would ensure members of Congress feel the pain of the ongoing partial government shutdown the same way as many Americans across the country.Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa,...
By Fox News · Fox News
A new House bill would ensure members of Congress feel the pain of the ongoing partial government shutdown the same way as many Americans across the country. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, is introducing the End Special Treatment for Congress at Airports Act, which is a House counterpart to legislation that sailed through the Senate last week. Hinson argued that members of Congress should be held to the same standards as their constituents at airports during the funding stalemate, despite lawmakers generally being eligible for expedited screening and security escorts to bypass lines. "Thanks to Democrats’ political games, TSA agents are working without pay, and many American families are facing 4-plus-hour wait times at airports during spring break," Hinson told Fox News Digital. HOUSE GOP TARGETING VULNERABLE DEMS OVER DHS SHUTDOWN, TSA CHAOS "Some Members of Congress are avoiding the chaos they’ve created by getting preferential treatment and skipping the lines at airports," she added. "My bill with Senator John Cornyn will eliminate these perks and ensure they face the consequences of inaction." The Iowa Republican's bill would ban the use of taxpayer dollars to give lawmakers special treatment and require them to go through the same security screenings as everyday Americans. The measure would keep restrictions for lawmakers in place even after DHS funding is restored. SCHUMER KNOCKS TRUMP ON IRAN, PLAN TO SEND ICE TO AIRPORTS: 'ASKING FOR TROUBLE' The bill’s introduction comes as the 38-day shutdown — the second-largest in U.S. history — continues to wreak havoc on U.S. travelers across the country due to staffing shortages at airports. This Friday will mark the second full pay period in which Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents will miss their paychecks , leading thousands to call off work to make ends meet. More than 400 TSA agents have quit their jobs since the shutdown began on Feb. 14, the department said last week. Major airport systems acros…