BREAKING OVERNIGHT: Senate Votes to Pay TSA Workers

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3:05That's the headline. TSA workers are going to get paid. How? By whom? Who gets credit? We don't know. But we've just had a little bit of chaos the past several hours. And it is pre sunrise hours as we're recording this. It's amazing what suddenly can happen in Congress when their lives are upended or when the potential of their vacation is hanging or a lost vacation or maybe a missed day of vacation. Suddenly, suddenly, they're compelled to act. Motivation. Wow, that just shows you. If it doesn't affect them, they'll take their sweet old time. It didn't matter that these folks hadn't been paid. That people were literally getting eviction notice. That people were living in their cars, having to take on second and third jobs. People waiting in lines for four and a half hours. Nah, none of that mattered. We should preface this episode with this. Robes and I own very little sleep. We own very little sleep. We are punchy as anything and exhausted, but in good moods. And this should be a very good story.

4:05That is the headline, folks. TSA workers are going to get paid based on announcement made and deals being made. But Robes, I can't help but be pissed. I'm happy for them. But it all comes down to why this was necessary in the first place. Nobody got anything. Democrats didn't win. Republicans didn't win. And we are really talking about their recess, Robes. The Easter recess was starting today. Today. So now all of a sudden, oh, they might want to keep us here. And we can't go home for our two-week recess. But we better get something done for these poor TSA workers. I'm happy, but I'm pissed. Yeah, that's exact. And I'm sure. And we feel that way. And I think collectively most Americans feel that way. But how do you think those TSA workers feel? That has got to be. Look, I don't know if it would make it any better if there was something that was gained from all of this. Maybe it would feel a little bit more. It's not just a file, but at least it had meaning.

5:07Yes. But nothing came out of it is extra frustrated. And both sides are going to say there was a point in somebody one. Don't believe anything. Nobody wins in this thing. Let us tell you what's going on. And we have to tell you folks, it is about 3.30 a.m. Eastern time as we were recording this. A little earlier than normal. I know we're crazy. But what just happened in the Senate is that the Senate has been fighting and they're the reason. Really, they're the House of Congress that's been holding things up. They have agreed to fund DHS, which includes TSA, but not ICE, and just kick that can down the road. What this means, robes, obviously, is that now TSA, which hasn't been getting paid for the past six weeks, they are now going to get paid. Hallelujah celebration, right? Yeah, but kind of, yes. Of course, that's the celebratory part. Here's the deal though. This is also hilarious. And I note the sarcasm. They unanimously voted to approve.

6:08Didn't even show up to vote, really. They unanimously voted to approve this funding. After all of the discord, after all of the divide, they all came together and sang kumbaya and voted to approve this funding. And by the way, minus ICE and Border Patrol, but really, that doesn't even matter in a lot of ways. And we've talked about this before because they were already funded from Trump's big beautiful bill through 2027. So that was never even at issue. The whole issue about defunding DHS was about defunding or getting reform for ICE, but ICE was never in peril. ICE agents never missed a paycheck. The only people who paid, and truly, they were being held as political hostages, because they knew politicians knew that this was going to be the biggest disruptor to have TSA agents not paid to have chaos at the airports would put pressure on lawmakers to do something. And so they were literally political footballs. TSA workers. Thank God for the long lines, because what I think about it,

7:08if they were only concerned about TSA workers, they'd have gone home for Easter. Yeah, they wouldn't have cared. But Americans are pissed now. You know, constituents who are voting for you or voting against you waiting in four hour lines, missing flights, disrupting not just vacations, but work trips and important family trips. People have to get places, tragedies or happen. Think about that. And how many countless stories of people missing flights that wasn't just about vacation, but were important. And they couldn't get to where they needed to go, because Congress was playing games. And the game apparently is done, at least this part of it. That's the headline. The Senate has voted. They have passed this bill. The House, we should let you know, they need to approve it as well. Most of them have not left. I don't think yet. So they have to approve this same bill. Expect them to do that, because they had already passed a funding bill. Anyway, what we're saying is that the Senate was the hurdle.

8:08It seems like that is passed. This funding is going to go through six weeks of pointlessness is now over. But robes, that wasn't until an hour ago, the big headline or the news with TSA workers. Yeah, I was going to ask you how much do you think Trump's truth social post that happened last night had an impact on the Senate finally deciding to vote for this funding bill. Because otherwise, then the president just gets credit for finding a way to pay the TSA workers. And I wonder how much will get into what history social post and what he was offering to do, how much that impacted, along with the Easter recess, lawmakers decision. I, we said here on the podcast yesterday, but they before there's no way they go home for recess and leave these folks on the hook for two weeks while you're chilling at home with your folks register. Although late yesterday, it looked like that might happen. The solid stalemate thought this was going to be the case. So the president steps in. But robes, what did he?

9:08I think Democrats might have looked at his true social post where it was clear he is trying to step in and be the hero in this whole mess. That's exactly. And that is why I was thinking that was a motivator beyond just the Easter recess for Democrats because Trump was going to claim victory and truly demonize. He was already demonizing, but maybe effectively demonizing the Democrats. What was the, what time was here? So yes, let's take you back. So folks, before we, yes, we talked about this breaking news. The Senate has passed this funding bill. TSA is going to get paid. But the president, what time was it though? Around 7 p.m. Eastern time. Oh, he was that. Oh, it was that late. Yeah, I thought it was even early. Oh, okay. 637 p.m. Eastern time last night. So this all happened late. The president steps in and says, I, I am going to pay TSA workers, not exactly sure how, but ropes. He made the announcement. This was a big, big headlight. Yes. And he started his first sentence was the radical left Democrats and their leader,

10:08crying Chuck Schumer, crying Chuck, have made it very clear where they stand. And that is on the side of criminal illegal aliens and not the American people. They are refusing to fund immigration enforcement unless the Republicans agree to their open border policies, which will never, ever happen again. He went on to say they almost destroyed our country, allowing 25 million people to enter from prisons, mental institutions, and insane assilums, those that are drug dealers and thousands of murderers, many of whom killed more than one person, because the Democrats have recklessly created a true national crisis. I am using my authorities under the law to protect our great country, as I always will do. Therefore, I am going to sign an order instructing the Secretary of Homeland Security, Mark Wayne Mullin, to immediately pay our TSA agents in order to address this emergency situation and stop the Democrat chaos at the airports. It's not an easy thing to do, but I'm going to do it. I want to thank our hardworking TSA agents

11:08and also ICE for the incredible help. They've given us at the airports. I will not allow the radical left Democrats to hold our country hostage any longer. I like the line about this. It's hard to do, but I'm going to do it. It was clear. He was stepping in to say, I am the hero in this situation because they can't get it together. And me, the guy you're upset with about a rhyme, me, the guy you're upset with about gas prices, me, the guy you're upset with about the economy, and your food prices. Actually, I'm going to make all of your troubles go away. Because currently, it seems like or feels like roll, all of our troubles are at the airport. They're not. Turn on the TV. It seems like the biggest problem Americans had. And he stepped in to solve that problem. Yes, and that was motivating. I would have to imagine for all the lawmakers, but especially Democrats, to come to the table in a real way and figure out. Because, look, the Republicans had made concessions. They did agree to take ICE out of the funding, take Border Patrol out of the funding and work on that later and consider certain. I think, look, I'm not sure exactly which recommendations

12:12Republicans are considering. The Democrats wanted judicial warrants for anyone to enter private property. They wanted to restrict operations near schools and hospitals. They didn't want masks on ICE agents. And they want agents to wear identification. Those were the demands from the Democrats. Not sure where Republicans are on any of those, but it just was an absolute stalemate. The Republicans were refusing. And then the Democrats said, we won't fund. And the president came in and said, I'm going to fund you. And now they've come around and there is a deal. And it looks like TSA agents are going to be paid. Now, I guess, Robes, the Trump situation goes away. I guess what he was planning to do and fund them will go away and now the funding will come through. Correct. Hopefully, yes. And look, it was interesting because a lot of people were questioning how Trump was going to pay for this. That was a big question. And apparently, did you even know about this? There was apparently billions of dollars in the Department of Homeland Security that were provided to the agency based on Trump's tax cut, his 2025 tax bill. Yeah, a big beautiful bill.

13:12They put money in there. They had it. Why was it sitting there? Why didn't we use it already? So now, I guarantee you, I already started to see or hear little rumblings. This is going to be a big thing. I'm sure Democrats are going to jump on this. If he had access to this money, this entire time. If you didn't need an executive or an emergency order to access those funds, why didn't he do this sooner? Why didn't any of them do it sooner? Let me say that. Go after the president if you want to. But this ain't his fault. And this ain't his responsibility to actually pay TSA. This is Congress's responsibility. Fine. How in the hell did I just let that come out of my mouth? This ain't on Trump. But yes, this ain't on Trump. But folks, stay here. We do. I want to give you an update of what's happening at the airports still today. The latest that we're getting from TSA about how things are going. Hopefully, things will improve soon. And we should be able to report back to you about that real soon because when we turn off this microphone, we're headed to the airport. There's so much noise around weight loss right now.

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17:18That's P-R-E-M-I-E-R, protein.com, or at Amazon Walmart and other major retailers. This is Sophia Bush from work in progress with Sophia Bush. Bring the good with avocados for Mexico. Upgrade your meals, your get-togethers, even your everyday life. Give your moments a little glow up. Either one, everyone's glad showed up because avocados from Mexico spark the joy with every bite. And by the way, they're good for you too. So elevate your everyday. Bring the good flavor. So rich and craveable. Avocados from Mexico. Always good. I continue here on Amy and TJ. All the headlines over the past several weeks, as they keep showing us the terrible lines. TSA lines at airports, you turn on the TV. What two airports are most live reporters set up at?

18:18Well, absolutely Atlanta. Yes. And maybe Houston. Maybe. Who is Houston? Houston. And then one of the New York airports, they'll go between or among LaGuardia, JFK, and New York. Yes. So we decided we wanted to go through Atlanta during this time. Yes, we do have a flight. I think if you all have been listening, you know we had a trip to Atlanta, a quick trip. But we'll be going back through that airport today. We went into it. It wasn't so bad. We had no issues actually flying on Wednesday. I'm not sure to say no issue. It wasn't bad because we actually ended up flying in the middle of the day, which turns out is great in the middle of the week. That's probably your best chance at not having any problems, at least as of late. But funny enough, we have an early morning flight. Normally, that's a good thing. In Atlanta, we've seen that's a bad thing. Yesterday, we were up at 5 a.m. watching the local news. The lines for the airport security were already outside on the curb, like completely wrapped around in double lines. You couldn't even get into the airport door to even get to the security line.

19:22You had to start outside. I actually thought it was B-roll from the previous day. I said there's no way this early in the lines that bad. I did not believe it was a live picture. So we're going through. We'll report back. We'll let you know how that goes. But what's been happening at the airport say you've been giving updates now around 500 TSA agents have quit during this shutdown, which is up to day 42. The last one was a full shutdown. It was 43 days, and that was history-making. That was the longest ever. But this one ends up right behind it. But 500 agents have quit, they say. But the call-out rates have, they said, at some airports, been as high as 50%. Can you imagine any business half of your workforce called out? The workforce that is necessary for you to do your job. Your last line of defense before flying in the skies when we are at a time of massive international conflict. That is so disturbing. And so, yes, wait times of more than four, four and a half hours at some of these airports. Ice agents are at some airports trying to help with the chaos.

20:23There hasn't been a lot made of that. I don't know if it's helped. It doesn't seem like it's hurt. There was concern that there might cause, you know, just some emotional discomfort seeing ice agents everywhere. But I don't know. Is there even been an impact? What if they're helping? Like what if they are actually having an impact and not getting credit for it? Right. These are, and please folks, please know, these are good people. Yes. Ice agents are good law enforcement overwhelmingly, good people who are being thrown around here and there and know how to do their jobs. So maybe, Rob, they're manning a door instead of a TSA agent having to. That frees up that TSA agent to go do something else, to go do screening. If it, maybe it's helping, but we have not seen the type of ish many people thought we might like the streets of Minneapolis. Are they going to come cause chaos? Hasn't that? That is absolutely true. It's cool, at least. Hey, there's, that's a silver lining that maybe, maybe they will come in and look like some, um, an agency that was there to help instead of to hurt. And I think that unfortunately has been the way people have

21:23viewed them up until now. I thought something else interesting that came out of all of this, the union that represents the government workers. So that they want the shutdown fairness act to pass. Did you even know about this? I wasn't aware of it, but it makes so much sense. They want, and yes, this should pass after these last two shutdowns and government workers dealing with what they've had to deal with. Basically, no politician from either party can hold a public servants paycheck hostage in the middle of a shutdown. And I think that is awesome. That should pass unanimously after all of this chaos. TSA agents should not do this again. It should, to recruit more TSA agents, you should absolutely make an announcement pass a bill, whatever, TSA agents will not go without paychecks because of government bullshit. I'm in support fully. It's awful what they've done to these folks. It is awful what they've done to them in robes. It's worse because at the end of the day, what were you fighting for, Democrats? Did you get it?

22:24No. So what was the point of getting TSA agents this much pain for the sake of what? And now you're motivated because you get to go home for Easter. You... And I wonder why people can't stand politicians. All right, folks, but we're in on the upside. TSA agents are going to get paid. And yes, if you didn't know, we should remind they all do get that back pay. So they're all going to get big checks. We don't know if they'll get bonuses. They gave $10,000 on it for this, but the folks last time, make them 20, make them 50. You're fine. Knock yourself out. And I'm just thinking about those poor 500 workers who had to quit their jobs and try to go find other work because they couldn't tolerate not getting paid again. That is such a massive upending of your life to have to go do that. I feel for them too. And hopefully, if they want their jobs back, they should be ready and waiting for them. Yeah, that's a good point. All right, folks. Well, I always appreciate you spending some time with us. Wanted to give you that. Updated is a significant one. There will be more updates throughout the day. We always appreciate you spending some time with us. But for my dear Amy Robock, I am T.J. Holmes.

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