Trump Urges Congress to Fund DHS, Amid TSA Worker Exodus

0:00On March 26, President Donald Trump is calling on Congress to restore funding to the Department of Homeland Security after more than one month. Without it, he warned during a recent cabinet meeting that lawmakers need to act fast or face serious consequences, though he didn't detail what those might be. The funding gap started on February 14th when the Senate couldn't advance a house bill to keep DHS open through September. Since then, repeated attempts to pass a measure have fallen short of the 60 votes required in the Senate. Travelers are facing long waits at airports because more than 500 transportation security administration workers have quit after weeks, without paychecks. Pressure is building on both parties ahead of the Senate's recess from March 30th to April 10th. Democrats want reforms to immigration and customs enforcement like better officer identification, body cameras, training, and limits on enforcement. In sensitive areas, Republicans prefer funding most of DHS right away and handling immigration

1:01issues later. Talk show little progress, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune dismissing the latest Democratic plan. While a bipartisan idea to fund just the TSA has gained traction, Thune opposes it, pointing to needs at FEMA and the Coast Guard too, leaving the standoff unresolved for now.