Lawmakers’ airport perks in crosshairs as DHS shutdown snarls travelers, TSA

A new House bill would ensure members of Congress feel the pain of the ongoing partial government shutdown the same way as many Americans across the country.

Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, is introducing the End Special Treatment for Congress at Airports Act, which is a House counterpart to legislation that sailed through the Senate last week.

Hinson argued that members of Congress should be held to the same standards as their constituents at airports during the funding stalemate, despite lawmakers generally being eligible for expedited screening and security escorts to bypass lines.

"Thanks to Democrats’ political games, TSA agents are working without pay, and many American families are facing 4-plus-hour wait times at airports during spring break," Hinson told Fox News Digital.

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Passengers at airports across the country are facing hourslong wait times at security checkpoints due to a shortage of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

"Some Members of Congress are avoiding the chaos they’ve created by getting preferential treatment and skipping the lines at airports," she added. "My bill with Senator John Cornyn will eliminate these perks and ensure they face the consequences of inaction."

The Iowa Republican's bill would ban the use of taxpayer dollars to give lawmakers special treatment and require them to go through the same security screenings as everyday Americans. The measure would keep restrictions for lawmakers in place even after DHS funding is restored.

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The bill’s introduction comes as the 38-day shutdown — the second-largest in U.S. history — continues to wreak havoc on U.S. travelers across the country due to staffing shortages at airports.

This Friday will mark the second full pay period in which Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents will miss their paychecks, leading thousands to call off work to make ends meet.

More than 400 TSA agents have quit their jobs since the shutdown began on Feb. 14, the department said last week.

Major airport systems across the country from Houston to New York reported hourslong wait times in security lines on Monday. The spring break travel season has appeared to worsen airports' staffing constraints.

Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, is proposing legislation to bar lawmakers from receiving special treatment at airports during the shutdown. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

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Hinson's legislation is likely to get widespread support in the House, though it is unclear when it would receive a floor vote.

"I’m grateful to Congresswoman Hinson for joining my effort to restore fair practices for all airport travelers by introducing companion legislation in the House, and I urge other Members to support our mission to stop this unfair perk," Cornyn said in a statement.

The Senate approved the Texas Republican’s bill by unanimous consent last Thursday. 

TSA has paused lawmaker escorts since the beginning of the funding lapse. However, members of Congress could still be receiving special assistance at airports from other entities.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, led the passage of similar legislation in the Senate last week. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

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Though DHS talks have picked up in recent days, the funding standoff could still fail to reach a resolution this week.

Democrats have largely refused to support a full-year DHS spending bill as the party demands reforms to immigration enforcement. Republicans, by contrast, have opposed Democrat-led efforts to fund specific DHS subagencies while leaving the department's immigration and border security functions unfunded.

Hinson is running for an open Senate seat vacated by Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, who is retiring. She is backed by President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans’ campaign arm.