Dysfunction in Washington: Latimer and Lawler in their own words
By Dan Murphy
With spring break in Westchester schools approaching, many families will be getting ready to travel, take a flight, visit family, or enjoy warmer weather. Many will fly out of Westchester airport, which is by far the most convenient airport to depart from and arrive at in our area.
But Westchester Airport, HPN, like all airports across the country, is facing a shortage of Transportation Security Officers (TSOs), who are the uniformed federal employees responsible for the safety of the traveling public at airports and other transportation hubs nationwide. This year, about 50,000 of these frontline professionals are securing nearly 440 airports nationwide.
That number was before another partial government shutdown froze funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Because of the shutdown, TSOs—who already make modest salaries—have not been paid for more than one month. As a result, thousands of TSOs are calling in sick or quitting, further reducing staffing at airports and lengthening security lines.
Currently, air travelers across the country are facing extra-long lines to check bags and board due to the shortage of TSOs caused by the shutdown. If the shutdown continues and staffing shortages worsen, it could lead to flight cancellations or even force airports to close temporarily.
Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl recently stated that the agency is in a “serious situation.” Stahl warned that if sick call rates continue to climb, the agency may have to “quite literally shut down airports,” specifically citing smaller regional airports as the most vulnerable. Is HPN one of those smaller regional airports? Much depends on how many TSA staff assigned to HPN don’t show up, and if the checkpoint can be fully manned.
On March 16, Westchester County Airport (HPN) experienced significant travel disruptions due to severe weather impacting the region. Approximately 34 percent of flights were cancelled, and delays are averaging 60 minutes or greater.
While the weather caused immediate setbacks, the ongoing disruption from the partial government shutdown raises another pressing question: Who is to blame? Here are Westchester’s two Congressmen in their own words.
Congressman George Latimer: “The republican majority presented a budget bill for the Department of Homeland Security that is not at all different from the ones they presented us over the past two months. That is the basis for a current shutdown in that department only. The bill itself does not address the concerns many of us have after watching the incidents on the streets of Minneapolis and other places.
That the actions of ICE have become unrestricted, that they do not follow normal police protocol that we are accustomed to seeing in our county, village, or city police, where officers are unmasked, where officers have badges and body cams, so that they can function in a certain way, interacting with citizens
ICE alone has been empowered by this president to act outside of those parameters. We want to see a change. When we see the death of Renee Good or Alex Pretti on the streets of Minneapolis, we know something is wrong. And we hear numerous stories of American citizens who are being detained and accused of being domestic terrorists because they are protesting or filming actions that ICE agents are taking.
The aggressiveness of the ICE agents has been justified by the administration, by Kristi Noem, and by the President because they are going after the most dangerous people, the vile criminals who are immigrants. There’s no opposition in this country to going after vile criminals and grabbing them off the streets and deporting them. But that’s not who they are going after. You don’t find them when you hang outside of a school. You don’t find them in the kitchen of a restaurant.
You’re trying to mass deport a large number of people regardless of what their behavior has been like in this country. We have a system that is in dire need of reform. To support a budget that helps move ICE forward, we want to see that reform. This administration and this majority have been unwilling to negotiate with us in fairness.
Congressman Mike Lawler, who has voted with his republican caucus to fund the entire government, said
“This shutdown never should have happened. Schumer and Jeffries prioritized politics over governing.
“I’ve said from Day 1 that nobody wins in a government shutdown — least of all the families in New York’s 17th District who rely on veterans’ care, Social Security, Medicare, and other essential services.
I meant it when I fought to avert shutdowns in the past, and I mean it now.
A shutdown throws families into limbo — furloughs, frozen paychecks, and bills piling up.
Each week the government has a temporary shutdown, our economy loses billions; markets get skittish, and investment stalls from Main Street to Wall Street.
That’s not “better” for anyone except the political arsonists cheering from the sidelines.
That’s why I’ve consistently pushed for responsible appropriations, fiscal discipline, and secure borders — and why I’ve worked across the aisle when that’s what it took to keep the lights on.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat it: Compromise is not a dirty word; it’s how you govern,” said Lawler.
In an open letter to Congress, 10 CEO’s of Major Airlines wrote.
“There are very few issues upon which 9 out of 10 Americans agree. However, in recent polling, 93 percent of your constituents across the country supported paying federal aviation workers during government shutdowns.
“That comes as no surprise. Americans—who live in your districts and home states—are tired of long lines at airports, travel delays, and flight cancellations caused by shutdown after shutdown.
“Yet, once again, air travel is the political football amid another government shutdown.
“This problem is solvable, and there are solutions on the table. Now it’s up to you, Congress, to move forward on bipartisan proposals that will get federal aviation workers—including TSA officers, U.S. Customs clearance officers at airports, and air traffic controllers—paid during shutdowns.
“First, leaders should immediately come together to reach an agreement to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Then they need to act so that this problem never happens again. Specifically, Congress should pass the Aviation Funding Solvency Act and the Aviation Funding Stability Act, which would guarantee air traffic controllers are paid regardless of the government’s funding status, as well as the Keep America Flying Act, which would provide the same protections to TSA officers who are tasked every day with keeping Americans secure in the skies.
“With spring break travel in full swing, FIFA World Cup 2026 right around the corner, and celebrations for America’s 250th birthday throughout the year, the stakes are especially high,” end of letter.
As we go to press, the Trump administration has offered a compromise: In a letter to US Senators Collins and Britt, Border Czar Tom Homan writes that the administration will
-expand the use of body cameras and have officers’ IDs clearly displayed
-limit civil enforcement at “sensitive locations.”
-increase detention facility oversight.
With Spring Break less than one week away for many Westchester school districts, the urgency only grows. We urge both parties and Reps. Latimer and Lawler to fund DHS and TSA immediately!
