AUSTIN, Texas — In a heated exchange outside the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Monday, Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Austin, sparred over government funding as the GOP lawmaker delivered Whataburger meals to airport workers.

The clip, which has gone viral on social media, shows the congressman talking to reporters when Cornyn interjects and a debate ensues over funding of the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) amid the partial government shutdown that began Feb. 14.

“Why don’t you tell your Democrats to vote to pay these poor people?” Cornyn said.

They continued to argue, with Casar bringing up a bipartisan bill to fund the TSA, which Cornyn called “not acceptable.” Cornyn then brought up the Austin bar shooting on March 1 that killed three and injured over a dozen.

“These people are keeping us safe. Tell the Democrats to vote for funding the DHS,” Cornyn said.

The impromptu meeting comes as long security lines have wrapped around several airports across the U.S., including Austin-Bergstrom as spring break and South By Southwest travel has overwhelmed already strained crews in the capital city.

“Instead of bringing people burgers, he should bring them their paychecks — which involves funding TSA,” Casar told reporters as Cornyn stormed off.

Cornyn continued the debate on social media, calling Casar a radical Democrat and blaming him for TSA agents having to work without pay in a post on X.

“Radical Democrats like him have blocked funding now for a month now while I have voted FOUR times to fund @TSA and reopen @DHSgov,” Cornyn wrote.

The current partial government shutdown solely affects the DHS, which includes the TSA. TSA workers missed their first full paychecks starting this past weekend, The Associated Press reports.

Homeland Security said in a post on X that over 300 TSA agents have quit since the shutdown began. It’s the third time in a six-month span that TSA staff have worked without pay, something the department blames Democrats in Congress for.