[00:00] Thatcher Collins: We are following breaking news. From Neural Newscast, I'm Thatcher Collins.
[00:05] Margaret Ellis: And I'm Margaret Ellis.
[00:07] Thatcher Collins: The Department of Homeland Security funding lapse reached 44 days this Sunday,
[00:12] Thatcher Collins: marking the longest partial government shutdown in United States history.
[00:17] Thatcher Collins: This duration exceeds the record set when the department and other federal agencies lacked funding
[00:23] Thatcher Collins: from October to mid-November.
[00:25] Thatcher Collins: While the rest of the federal government is currently funded, the DHS standoff continues.
[00:31] Margaret Ellis: This lapse began on February 14th.
[00:35] Margaret Ellis: Primary documents show a focus on immigration enforcement operations,
[00:40] Margaret Ellis: and we are seeing continuity in pay for ICE agents
[00:44] Margaret Ellis: because they draw on funding from the one big beautiful bill signed last year.
[00:50] Margaret Ellis: However, TSA officers have worked without pay for six weeks.
[00:55] Margaret Ellis: Some ICE agents are now stationed at airports to assist with operations.
[01:01] Thatcher Collins: TSA staffing shortages have resulted in security lines at airports lasting for hours.
[01:06] Thatcher Collins: Hundreds of officers have resigned and thousands have called out of work during the standoff.
[01:12] Thatcher Collins: On Friday, House Republicans passed a short-term funding bill, but it has no path in the Senate.
[01:19] Thatcher Collins: Speaker Mike Johnson rejected a bipartisan Senate bill that funded DHS while excluding ICE and Customs and Border Protection.
[01:27] Margaret Ellis: Factual records of the legislative process showed the Senate tried and failed to advance a similar bill multiple times.
[01:36] Margaret Ellis: The proposal fell short of the 60-vote threshold required for advancement.
[01:42] Margaret Ellis: Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority, which necessitates support from Democrats
[01:49] Margaret Ellis: for any funding measure to move forward.
[01:52] Thatcher Collins: President Trump signed an order on Friday to pay TSA workers, and a DHS spokesperson says
[01:58] Thatcher Collins: paychecks are expected to arrive Monday. However, both the House and Senate are now in recess.
[02:05] Thatcher Collins: The Senate returns April 13th, and the House is scheduled to return on April 14th.
[02:10] Thatcher Collins: No further negotiations are expected until mid-month.
[02:14] Margaret Ellis: We will continue to monitor the impact on national infrastructure and federal personnel throughout the recess period.
[02:22] Thatcher Collins: From Neural Newscast, I'm Thatcher Collins.
[02:25] Margaret Ellis: And I'm Margaret Ellis.
[02:27] Margaret Ellis: Neural Newscast is AI-assisted, human-reviewed.
[02:31] Margaret Ellis: View our AI transparency policy at neuralnewscast.com.