Why TSA agents aren't getting paid right now - and what it will take to change that

"Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents have been working without pay since mid-February. Some of those agents, fed up with the situation, have begun calling in sick or even quitting, according to the agency. So, why aren't agents getting paid? A long but largely ignored partial government shutdown. You may not have realized it, but the US has been in a partial government shutdown since February 14."

"A "shutdown" occurs when lawmakers in Washington fail to pass a bill to fund a portion of the government. The longest-ever shutdown occurred in the fall and lasted 43 days. But this one's different because every department has been funded for the rest of the fiscal year, except one: the Department of Homeland Security."

"Pretti's death, along with the fatal shooting of Renée Good two weeks earlier, led to outrage among Democrats on Capitol Hill, who demanded reforms to both CBP and ICE before they would agree to fund the agencies any further. While Republicans have a majority in both chambers, the Senate's 60-vote "filibuster" rule means that Democratic votes are needed to pass major funding legis"

The United States has been in a partial government shutdown since February 14, the third-longest in American history. The Department of Homeland Security remains unfunded while all other departments have received funding for the fiscal year. TSA agents have worked without pay since mid-February, leading some to call in sick or resign, causing delays at airport security checkpoints. The shutdown stems from disagreements over funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. Democrats demanded reforms to these agencies following fatal shootings by border patrol and ICE officers, while Republicans control both chambers but need Democratic votes due to Senate filibuster rules.

Read at Business Insider