Kristi Noem gives some TSA agents $10,000 bonuses for working during shutdown

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem handed out $10,000 bonus checks Thursday to some TSA officers who “served with exemplary service” during the government shutdown.

At a press conference in Houston, Ms. Noem said the bonus checks are “for stepping up, taking on extra shifts, for showing up each and every day” during the 43-day federal funding impasse. 

“We will be continuing to not only recognize employees across the country, but we will be looking at every single TSA official who helped serve during this government shutdown and do what we can to recognize that and help them financially with a bonus check to get them and their family back on their feet,” Ms. Noem said. 

She added there were “tens of thousands of individuals who stepped up and continued to serve.”

Air travel passengers faced thousands of delays and cancellations as the Federal Aviation Administration limited flights due to air traffic control shortages.

Many federal employees, such as the controllers and TSA officers, worked without pay, and many others were laid off or furloughed. 

Those who worked without pay or were furloughed are entitled to back pay. The more than 1.4 million federal employees who went without pay could begin getting paychecks as soon as Sunday.

Congress passed a bill to end the government shutdown that was signed by President Trump late Wednesday.

Earlier this week, he suggested the bonus and demanded that air traffic controllers “get back to work, NOW!!!” saying that anyone who doesn’t will be “substantially docked.”