Sacramento labor leaders push Congress to end shutdown affecting TSA pay.
SACRAMENTO, Calif — TSA workers in the Sacramento area are urging Congress to quickly reach an agreement to fund the Department of Homeland Security as the partial government shutdown continues and employees work with little to no pay.
Lawmakers have yet to reach a bipartisan compromise to fund the agency, and the union representing Transportation Security Administration workers in the region said members are still trying to recover from the last shutdown.
“Unfortunately for the 3rd time in the last 6 months our people are out there working without pay.” said James Mudrock, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1230, which represents TSA employees in Northern California.
Mudrock said the situation is especially difficult after workers previously endured 43 days without pay during the last government shutdown. With the current partial shutdown lasting about a month so far, he said the financial strain is continuing for many employees.
“Congress needs to find a way to get our people the money that they owe them for the hard work that they do.” Mudrock said.
Congress has not reached an agreement on how to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Because of the impasse, the union said its members have already missed part of a paycheck and could soon miss a full paycheck if the shutdown continues.
A representative for Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui said the congresswoman is focused on providing relief for affected workers.
“The congresswoman joined with 71 of her House colleagues this week in co-sponsoring Congresswoman Rosa Dolores HR 7481, the Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2026. What this bill would do is it would fund all parts of the Department of Homeland Security except ICE and CBP.” said Aaron Jones, a representative for Matsui.
Republicans in the U.S. Senate on Thursday continued to blame Democrats for TSA workers missing their paychecks.
“Democrats will once again leave Washington today and head to the airport, where they will walk past some of the 50,000 TSA agents who are missing part of their pay because of Senate Democrats.” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota.
While lawmakers in Washington continue negotiations, labor leaders in Sacramento say workers will keep advocating for their pay.
“Folks in Washington who are so detached from the everyday struggle of Americans. This is what they should expect that workers will stand up and fight.” said Fabrizio Sasso with the Sacramento Central Labor Council.
Meanwhile, California state Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas has introduced Senate Bill 1155, which would prevent a landlord from evicting a tenant who is a federal employee impacted by a government shutdown and unable to pay rent.
The bill is still moving through the state Legislature.
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