Amid Ongoing DHS Funding Impasse, Trump Orders Pay for TSA Workers

President Donald Trump announced that Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents would begin receiving pay starting this week through an executive order (EO), following weeks of disruption at U.S. airports as employees went without pay, missed shifts and, in some cases, left their positions to find secure employment given the government's failure.

Thursday, Trump also indicated he will soon sign an additional executive order (EO) to begin paying other Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel affected by the months-long shutdown, including staff at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The decision to bypass Congress – which holds constitutional authority over federal spending – provides a temporary reprieve as negotiations over funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) remain stalled. The agency has been partially shut down since February; lawmakers are currently in a two-week recess, further delaying progress.

Administration officials confirmed that the funding for TSA pay will come from last year's tax and spending mega-bill. However, questions remain about how long the funding will be sufficient to sustain payroll.

The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) is actively monitoring the situation given its potential impact on travel and meetings across the country. In response to the shutdown's effects on TSA personnel, ASAE mobilized support through its Meeting Community Needs initiative. Last week, the association raised more than $6,000 to provide grocery and gas gift cards to TSA employees nationwide. Under federal ethics guidelines, TSA workers may accept unsolicited, store-specific gift cards valued at $20 or less per occasion.

ASAE also has partnered with Airports Council International - North America to help distribute the donations to officers at airports with the greatest need. Additional associations have contributed gift cards as part of a broader show of support from the association community.

This article was provided to OSAP by ASAE's Power of Associations and Inroads.