Republicans reject Senate plan in the House to end chaos at US airports

Passengers line up for security checks at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), in Baltimore (USA) Reuters House of Representatives Republicans rejected a bipartisan agreement to temporarily fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and approved, on Friday night (27), their own proposal, prolonging the budget impasse that has caused disruption at United States airports for weeks. The approved project provides for full DHS funding for eight weeks and passed with 213 votes in favor and 203 against. The measure was voted on after Republicans refused to analyze the Senate proposal, which excluded resources for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Border Patrol (CBP). 🗒️Do you have any reporting suggestions? Send to g1 The budget blockage has forced thousands of airport security agents to work without pay since mid-February. The White House has ordered payments to be made, but has not explained how this will happen. For the Democratic leader in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, a measure that maintains the current situation “is doomed to failure before it even reaches the Senate”. He added that Democrats support funding essential national security functions but will not accept “a blank check” for former President Donald Trump’s immigration policy without reforms. The vote came after House Speaker Mike Johnson called the Senate’s bipartisan proposal a “joke.” He defended an alternative text that guarantees resources for both Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents and immigration and Border Patrol teams. Although Republicans have a majority in Congress, Senate rules require support from Democrats to approve budget measures. Since February 14, DHS funding has been blocked due to the impasse between the parties, especially over the performance of ICE, criticized for approaches considered aggressive against immigrants and for operations that resulted in the death of two American citizens in January. Without resources, TSA agents are without pay, which has led to increased absences and resignations and reduced available staff. In a country where air transport is widely used, long lines at security checkpoints have become frequent and dominate American press coverage. Atlanta airport dawns with long lines amid air chaos in the US

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