A Transportation Security Administration spokesman said Monday increased employee call-outs during the partial government shutdown — more than double from this time last year — isn’t hurting air passenger safety.
“This morning, TSA experienced a national rate of 7.6 percent unscheduled absences compared to a 3.2 percent rate one year ago, Monday, January 15, 2018,” Assistant Administrator of Public Affairs Michael Bilello tweeted Monday. “Most importantly, security standards remain uncompromised at our nation’s airports.”
[Related: Houston airport closes terminal due to TSA staffing shortage amid shutdown]
This morning, TSA experienced a national rate of 7.6 percent unscheduled absences compared to a 3.2 percent rate one year ago, Monday, January 15, 2018. Most importantly, security standards remain uncompromised at our nation’s airports.
— Michael Bilello (@TSA_Bilello) January 14, 2019
The partial government shutdown that began Dec. 22 has left TSA employees a particularly visible signal of the impasse. They’re considered “essential” federal employees, and must report to work without pay throughout the duration of the shutdown.
This partial shutdown, a result of legislative stalemate between President Trump and congressional Democrats over funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, is now the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees have either had to report to work without pay or are furloughed.
Although Biello says security has not been compromised by the absences, airport gate entry points have been closed at airports across the country, including in Texas and Florida.
A man was also able to get a gun through TSA on Jan. 2 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on his flight to Tokyo.
In a statement, TSA said that the breach had nothing to do with the shutdown and workers calling out, suggesting instead said it happened because “standard procedures” were not followed, NBC News reported.
