TSA officers get fraction of pay as government shutdown drags

Airport security screeners across the U.S. received a fraction of their usual pay on Friday as the partial government shutdown drags on, increasing the risk

that more officers will call in sick to take second jobs, or even quit.



Funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security lapsed on February 13 after Congress failed to reach a deal on immigration enforcement reforms demanded by Democrats. That halted funding for the operation of several government agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration.



This shutdown is more limited than the record 43-day October-November event that closed numerous departments of government. But with TSA agents facing the possibility of losing even more pay if this one drags on further, the ripple effects could emerge again: absences, departures, and bottlenecked security lines at the nation's airports.