25 days into a partial government shutdown, Americans are dealing with delays at major airports as TSA workers, required to work without pay, are now failing to show up to work. And that has led to long lines in Houston and New Orleans.
Democrats and Republicans both expressed concerns Tuesday about the fact that the country is actively at war while the Department of Homeland Security is not fully funded.
But there is still not a clear path towards what a compromise might look like.
Republicans said Tuesday that they are ready and willing to sit down and negotiate, saying they put down an offer to Democrats 12 days ago that they say hasn't been responded to.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer rejected the idea that Democrats aren't responding to offers from Republicans, saying that Democrats are in constant communication with the White House. Sen. Schumer put the blame on the White House for not being willing to budge on the issues of funding ICE and Customs and Border Protection.
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) said Tuesday that Democrats and Republicans are still very far apart on that issue. But he said Democrats don't want to hold the rest of the agency and the rest of DHS' funding up just because they disagree about those two departments.
"It is the Republicans that are blocking the reopening of these critical agencies. It is true that we are still far apart on the question of ICE. It is also true that there is no reason at all to hold TSA, the Coast Guard or FEMA hostage while our negotiations continue," Sen. Schatz said.
"Obviously, cybersecurity falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security, border security, you go right down the list. FEMA. These are agencies that have a profound impact on the safety and security of the American people and the Democrats have opted to, in the most cynical way, play politics," said Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
Sen. Thune has planned a procedural vote on another bill to fund DHS for later this week. But it's not clear that Democrats and Republicans are any closer to actually striking a deal that would allow that procedural vote to be successful.
RELATED NEWS | TSA shortages snarl airports as government shutdown stretches into Spring Break
Meanwhile, Democrats are vowing to shut down the Senate over the war in Iran.
They say they are not satisfied with answers they received Tuesday from the executive branch during a classified briefing on the war.
"What was unsatisfactory was the lack of answers — and certainly credible answers — that we deserve and more important the American people deserve," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). "There seem to be more questions than answers and a total lack of clarity, after a week of war, about why seven Americans have died in the service of this country."
Senate Democrats have not yet detailed exactly what a blockade of Senate business might entail.
