WASHINGTON – Federal transportation officials are warning that continued budget disputes in Washington could lead to the closure of smaller airports nationwide as security staff shortages reach critical levels.
Transportation Security Administration personnel have been working without receiving their paychecks for an entire month due to the ongoing partial government shutdown. The situation has become so dire that approximately 5,000 of the 50,000 TSA security screeners failed to report for their shifts this past Sunday, representing a 10 percent absence rate.
Adam Stahl, who serves as Acting Deputy Administrator for the TSA, warned during a Fox News interview that the situation could deteriorate further without resolution. “As the weeks continue, if this continues it’s not hyperbole to suggest that we may have to quite literally shut down airports — particularly smaller ones if callout rates go up,” Stahl stated.
The warning highlights the growing impact of the federal funding standoff on essential transportation services across the country.
