A Paid Vacation for Congress. A $0 Paycheck for TSA.

There is a striking irony in Congress preparing to leave town for a two-week paid recess while TSA officers, the people who secure America’s travel system, face yet another $0 paycheck.

Come Friday, if Congress fails to do its job and pass a DHS funding bill, they’ll head to the airports, get escorted to the front of the security line and be screened by the very TSA officers they failed to pay. Meanwhile, millions of Americans will arrive at airports over the next three weeks to face hours-long waits and endless frustration.

So allow us to speak directly to Congress:

Do not board that flight, pack that bag, or clear that schedule until TSA officers have been paid. These are the men and women showing up every single day to keep travelers safe and the system moving. Walking away from that responsibility is not a recess; it’s a dereliction of duty.

Fix this before you leave Washington. Pass the funding. Pay our TSA officers. The American people are watching, and they will remember who stayed to get it done and who didn’t.