As travelers across the country endure long security lines and understaffed checkpoints, Congress has found itself at the center of a growing controversy over special treatment at airports.
Congress Scrambles To End TSA Privileges…After Getting Caught Using Them
A viral video circulating on social media shows two members of Congress bypassing long security lines at Washington National Airport (DCA), even as travelers faced delays stretching hours during the ongoing government shutdown.
Those lawmakers? Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC).
The optics could not have been worse and the problem is bipartisan in nature.
At the time, TSA screeners were working without pay due to the partial government shutdown, leading to widespread absenteeism and staffing shortages. That translated into long lines, frustrated passengers, and a system under visible strain.
Yet members of Congress were still able to bypass those lines entirely.
That’s despite prior indications from the Department of Homeland Security that special screening privileges for lawmakers would be suspended during the shutdown.
They were not.
A Bill…But No Vote Yet
Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) has introduced the “End Special Treatment for Congress at Airports Act,” which would eliminate expedited security access for members of Congress.
“Nobody should be above the rules and regulations imposed on the American people, and a Member pin on your lapel should not give you carte blanche to skip airport screening lines while everyday Americans are forced to patiently wait their turn,” said Sen. John Cornyn. “I’m proud to introduce this legislation to end the unfair practice of allowing Members of Congress to receive expedited airport security screening, and I urge my colleagues to join me in restoring democracy at the TSA security line.”
Cornyn, who is in the fight of his political life to retain his Senate seat in Texas, suddenly seems very interested in “restoring democracy at the TSA security line.”
It’s not clear, however, if his bill has any hope of passage in both chambers of Congress.
The Bigger Problem: One Set Of Rules For Them, Another For Everyone Else
There has long been a quiet system in place that allows members of Congress to receive expedited screening at certain airports.
It was never particularly popular, but it also wasn’t widely discussed. I’m happy to see that changed this week, because the juxtaposition of TSA agents working without pay and passengers waiting hours in line with members of Congress walking straight through security is not defensible.
Bas enough as they are anytime of year, it appears those privileges continued despite assurances that they would be suspended during the shutdown…
CONCLUSION
There’s an old saying in politics: nothing gets fixed until it becomes embarrassing. Will this be one of those moments?
Members of Congress have long enjoyed expedited airport screening, but it took a viral video during a period of widespread travel disruption to force the issue into the spotlight.
Now, there are calls to end the privilege. But so far, that’s all they are.
Until legislation is actually passed and implemented, travelers will continue to face long lines while the people writing the rules can still walk past them. It’s not right.
image: DHS / X
whew
Debbie is really working to get a little extra height via those shoes
(and yes… so is Mace but those 2″ platform tennis shoes on Wasserman-Schulz)
The story here isn’t the Cornyn bill.
The story here is that Debbie’s party is the one keeping the TSA from receiving their paychecks while taking advantage of her status as a Congressman.
Remember kids, elections have consequences.
I think this November’s election will show what real consequences look like for MAGA. The whole movement is fast approaching a brick wall where reality doesn’t mesh with the false reality they’ve been living in.
Enjoy those high gas prices. Remember, elections have consequences.
Actually kids, you would be incorrect. You need to be careful where you get your ‘news’ and put a little more research before you repeat lies on the world wide web, kid.
The truth is kids that ‘Debbie’s party’ (i.e., the democrats or minority party who are not currently running any branches of government) has tried to pass 5 separate funding bills in the US Senate over the past 24 hours to immediately fund TSA, FEMA, CISA, and the US Coast Guard. All 5 funding bills have been blocked by the Republican party.
So kids, elections do have consequences. And when the party you voted for is running ALL branches of government you can’t blame the minority party for your inability to manage the government you control. Nor can you blame the minority party when they are the party still trying to fund areas of the government that affect everyday Americans.
Because when you do, it just makes you look like an uninformed idiot.
If your Democrats were in power would they pass Republican funding bills?
Not understanding how leverage works makes you look stupid.
I see the Dems tricks have fooled you. They offer to fund parts of DHS, knowing the Rs must reject it. Then, you go to the politically unsaavy and blame the Rs for travel troubles. The Rs could never accept partial funding because, once those segments are back up and running, the Ds can refuse to fund any other segments until the Rs agree to their hefty demands. If TSA is ungunded both parties have incentive to work a deal. Fund TSA, Coasr Guard, etc., and the Ds simply sit back and refuse any compromise. I’m not defending Rs, just recognizing both parties are playingbthe long con.
As I always say, both are at fault here and I love that two of the most unlikable women in Congress for getting caught.
It sounds like there was some progress made yesterday with an in person meeting but the GOP is claiming the Dem’s now are asking for more. And I’m sure the Dem’s have their own version of the meeting that disagrees with that assessment.
Just a total clown show on both sides.
Why can’t the Senate just vote for clean TSA funding and keep fighting over ICE?
Because, if they do, the Dems will be completely content voting no on additional funding for DHS through the midterms unless the Reps given in on all issues. There would be no pressure on them to fund anything.
Why are you writing posts about TSA at 3am in the morning in LA. Please speak with Heidi about getting proper sleep.
You think I publish these live?
I write my first two posts the night before…
Anyone surprised by this? No!
Congress needs to remain unpaid during shutdowns, not sent home by the Speaker for four weeks.! Thank you to Chef Andres and the World Central Kitchen for providing meal baskets to TSA officers and their families in various cities.
As someone who passes through that TSA checkpoint at DCA T2 almost weekly, I’m not sure the linked video shows what it suggests. Both women clearly have an escort taking them toward the screening checkpoint, yes, but it looks like they are being dropped into the “Touchless ID” lane where there have been virtually no queues. If they travel often, as I’m sure sitting members do, they probably have enrolled in the program. Also, DCA has not had wait times longer than ~5 minutes despite the government shutdown. I think this is a whole lot of “nothing” in an attempt to get views from the Tiktoker.
Also…it’s times like these where we, the taxpaying and traveling public, should be asking questions such as…
Is the TSA necessary?
Is it necessary to screen every traveler?
If I was the TSA agent escorting the congresswoman, I would announce ” Please step aside, congresswoman coming through” to the people in line. What are they going to do, fire an unpaid worker ?
I literally sat right next to John Cornyn on AUS-DFW a few weeks ago. A few days before he didn’t win his primary. He had a three car escort outside of the airport. Several APD officers at the gate with him before we boarded. He was called to before anybody else. And upon arrival in Dallas, he had an entourage of officers waiting for him. He may be proposing that legislation, but he knows it will never go to a vote.
I didn’t speak to him because I don’t really have anything to say to life long bureaucrats who are owned by corporations, but had I known of this bill, I would have asked him why he didn’t choose to forego all the special treatment he received.
This one part has me curious. We were told that having Clear members jump the queue at airports was not up to TSA, but was something the airport could grant (sell to) Clear. So, is this queue jumping an action of the airport and not up to TSA?
Andrew H I agree it is Deb’s party the DNC keeping TSA from their paychecks,!! They should be made to stand in line like the regular peeps and it would end asap!!
@Dee: you know I am a reasonable person. Can you explain to me why Senate Republicans have voted so many times against a clean funding bill Dems have put forward that would immediately fund the TSA (no other string attached)? Same with the U.S. Coast Guard!
If I were a TSA officer, I’d flag every member of Congress for additional screening until my pay was restored.
“Random” of course! 😀
Not surprising at all!