President Trump is expected to bypass a deadlocked Congress as early as Thursday afternoon, potentially using executive action to end a 41-day TSA shutdown that has paralyzed American airports. With security lines snaking through terminals in cities like Houston, Atlanta, and New York, Senate Republicans are signaling that the White House is ready to move unilaterally to restore order to the nation’s travel hubs.
The move comes as GOP lawmakers increasingly view the month-long standoff as a political liability.
Despite several concessions from White House negotiators, Democrats have continued to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security, leading many Republicans to conclude that a traditional legislative fix is no longer on the table.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) told reporters Thursday that he is hitting the brakes on a planned bill to pay TSA workers because he anticipates a major announcement from the Oval Office.
Kennedy was blunt about the lack of progress with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, stating that there is “no way in God’s green earth” that Schumer will agree to a deal that funds Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). RELATED: “Not For It”: Louisiana Sen. Kennedy Torpedoes Rumors Of Trump-Backed DHS Funding Deal
Kennedy noted that while he was ready to offer a temporary fix on the Senate floor to get TSA back to work, he now believes his bill won’t be necessary.
“I would not faint with surprise if you heard from the president of the United States with his thoughts this afternoon,” Kennedy said, adding that the GOP needs to stop “denying reality” regarding the stalemate.
The President echoed this sense of urgency during a Cabinet meeting Thursday morning, warning that “very drastic measures” are on the table to resolve the crisis.
“They need to end the shutdown immediately, or we’ll have to take some very drastic measures,” Trump told those gathered at the White House. While Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the administration is discussing ideas to “blunt the impact” of the shutdown, she maintained that the simplest solution remains for Congress to fund DHS.
On the other side of the aisle, Democrats have remained firm, voting for a seventh time on Wednesday to block a House-passed funding bill. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) was the lone Democrat to break ranks and vote to advance the measure.
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