WATCH: Senate Republicans Block Warnock’s Attempt to Pay TSA Workers

Today, Senate Republicans blocked Senator Reverend Warnock's push to pay TSA workers during the ongoing government shutdown

Senator Warnock has voted twice over the past year to pay federal workers, including TSA workers, during lapses in federal funding

Senator Warnock's call for a vote comes as TSA workers risk missing a second paycheck

Senator Reverend Warnock: "Here's what I believe. I believe that if you are working, particularly during a government shutdown, then you should be fully paid"

VIDEO OF FLOOR REMARKS HERE

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) took to the Senate floor to attempt to pass legislation that would immediately pay TSA officers and other federal workers during the ongoing partial government shutdown. Senate Republicans immediately blocked the Senator's attempt to pass Senator Jacky Rosen's Transportation Security Administration Pay Act of 2026. TSA workers risk missing a second paycheck because Washington Republicans refuse to vote on legislation to pay them.

"Here's the choice that [Senate Republicans] are presenting to us. They're saying to us, either shut down the government, denying working people the money that they have earned, or vote to continue to support the President's paramilitary force that is wreaking havoc in our streets and killing ordinary citizens for exercising their First Amendment rights. That's a false choice, one I simply cannot accept, and it confounds common sense," said Senator Reverend Warnock.

During his remarks, Senator Warnock addressed his bipartisan attempts to make a deal. Over the past year, Senator Warnock has voted twice to pay federal workers during lapses in federal funding, even breaking with his own party. Both votes failed on the Senate floor.

"Here's what I believe. I believe that if you are working, particularly during a government shutdown, then you should be fully paid. I believe in this so much that I've broken with members of my own party to vote to pay all federal workers, which includes TSA officers, during government shutdowns. I think it's simply wrong for my Republican colleagues to use these hard-working Americans as leverage, as pawns, in what they are presenting as a false choice to the American people," said Senator Reverend Warnock.

"The time is always right, Dr. King used to say, to do what's right. And so, I'm calling on this chamber to pay TSA workers right now before we again all head to the airports. Let's keep having this debate but pay the TSA workers," Senator Reverend Warnock added.

Watch Senator Warnock's full remarks HERE.

Read the full transcript below:

Senator Reverend Warnock (SRW): "The thing that we have in common on both sides of the aisle is that my colleagues and I travel back and forth from this city to our home states every week, airplanes are our other office."

"So, every week I fly here or fly back home, I pass by hard working agents of the TSA. I get to see their dedication up close, their professionalism. They are public service in action. They are working long hours around the clock every day of the year. Wherever we're trying to go, our TSA agents get us there safely. Safely to work, safely back to our families, wherever the public is trying to go. And these public servants sacrifice their holidays, their special moments with their families so that we can get to our families. They work nights and weekends to make sure that we in this chamber - and the millions of Americans that travel through our nation's airports - can do that without fear. This is basic. No one should be fooling around with the TSA agents."

"We have our differences, our debates in this chamber. But for the second time in a year, our TSA workers are working without pay because of Washington dysfunction. Here's what I believe. I believe that if you are working, particularly during a government shutdown, then you should be fully paid. I believe in this so much that I've broken with members of my own party to vote to pay all federal workers, which includes TSA officers, during government shutdowns. I think it's simply wrong for my Republican colleagues to use these hard-working Americans as leverage, as pawns, in what they are presenting as a false choice to the American people."

Here's the choice that they're presenting to us: they're saying to us, either shut down the government, denying working people the money that they have earned, or vote to continue to support the President's paramilitary force that is wreaking havoc in our streets and killing ordinary citizens for exercising their First Amendment rights. That's a false choice, one I simply cannot accept, and it confounds common sense."

"The time is always right, Dr. King used to say, to do what's right. And so, I'm calling on this chamber to pay TSA workers right now before we again all head to the airports. Let's keep having this debate but pay the TSA workers."

"And so with that, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 4127, the TSA Pay Act, that the bill be considered, read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table."

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