Lawmakers may be taking steps to end DHS shutdown after weeks of TSA chaos

Congress is moving toward ending the partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security, which has caused widespread disruption to the Transportation Security Administration's operations. The shutdown has forced TSA officers to work without pay for weeks, creating staffing strains at airport security checkpoints across the country and raising concerns about security lapses. Lawmakers' efforts to resolve the impasse could restore funding to DHS and allow affected employees to resume regular paychecks. The shutdown has highlighted the vulnerability of critical security functions to political gridlock over budget negotiations. Resolution would restore normal operations at TSA screening points and relieve pressure on federal workers in the midst of one of the travel season's busier periods.