Senate Republicans on Saturday rejected a procedural move by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to advance funding for the Transportation Security Administration, as a prolonged Department of Homeland Security shutdown continues to disrupt air travel nationwide.
The motion, which sought to suspend Senate rules and route TSA funding through the Rules Committee, failed 41-49 along party lines, falling short of the 60 votes required.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., criticized the effort as a "convoluted" attempt to bypass the appropriations process, arguing it would not meaningfully fund TSA.
He pointed instead to a House-passed bill to fund all of DHS that Republicans say Democrats have repeatedly blocked.
"This is a Schumer motion to suspend the rules and refer the bill that we’re on to the Rules Committee, which doesn’t have jurisdiction over appropriations or spending, and he’s trying to call it a vote to fund TSA?" Thune said Saturday.
"I don’t know how you come up with this.
"I will give you credit for coming up with something that’s convoluted, but it doesn’t do anything that the [Democratic] leader says it does," he added.
Schumer framed the vote as a straightforward test of whether lawmakers support paying TSA workers during the shutdown.
Democrats accused Republicans of tying TSA funding to broader immigration enforcement measures, including additional funding for ICE, while blocking narrower proposals to pay airport security staff.
The legislative standoff comes as the TSA faces mounting operational strain after DHS funding lapsed on Feb. 14.
Thousands of officers have gone unpaid for weeks, leading to widespread absenteeism, daily sick-outs, and at least 376 resignations.
The agency’s workforce has shrunk to roughly 50,000 officers managing growing passenger volumes.
The impact is increasingly visible at airports across the country.
Major hubs including Chicago, Dallas, Orlando, and Philadelphia have reported security lines exceeding three hours, while staffing shortages have forced checkpoint closures in some locations, such as Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
By midday Saturday, more than 1,300 flights had been delayed nationwide, with additional cancellations reported.
TSA officials warn conditions could worsen if the funding impasse continues.
Acting Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl said this week sustained absenteeism could force partial or full shutdowns at some airports, particularly smaller regional facilities with limited staffing flexibility.
On Saturday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk offered to ease some of the financial burden and help get American airports moving again by paying the salaries of TSA employees until an agreement can be reached in Washington.
Aviation experts caution that such disruptions could ripple across the broader air travel system, reducing service to smaller communities and intensifying congestion at major hubs.
For now, travelers are being urged to arrive at least two hours early for domestic flights and three hours for international departures, though officials acknowledge delays may still be unavoidable without a resolution in Washington.