House Republicans are set to hold a hearing next Wednesday to examine the effects of the ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown, focusing on security risks and financial challenges faced by DHS employees. The House Homeland Security Committee will hear testimony from senior officials representing the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Coast Guard, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
The hearing follows a nearly 35-day funding lapse that has left more than 50,000 TSA employees without pay, with over 360 resignations and approximately 10% of agents absent from work recently. These staffing shortages have contributed to extended security lines at major U.S. airports during a busy spring travel season, though some airports like New York’s JFK and LaGuardia reported wait times under 20 minutes.
FEMA staff largely continue to work without pay, raising concerns within agency leadership about the capability to respond effectively to potential major disasters. The shutdown also persists amid heightened physical and cyber threat concerns linked to global tensions, including the U.S.-Israeli conflict involving Iran.
House Republicans have criticized Democrats for opposing full-year DHS funding, accusing them of playing political games that undermine national security and frontline personnel welfare. In response, House Democrats plan to introduce legislation funding DHS sub-agencies except for immigration enforcement components, with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries initiating a discharge petition to force a vote in the House. Senate Republicans have opposed piecemeal funding, insisting on full-year funding for the entire DHS, including immigration enforcement.
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