TSA officer to lawmakers: "Pay us for what we do"

On to travelers facing long lines at airports across the country. The situation is growing more dire, with parts of the Department of Homeland Security still unfunded. TSA workers missed their first full paycheck last week, and more of them are calling out sick. And we're seeing the fallout. Houston's Bush Airport has closed some checkpoints, and this includes a number of PreCheck entrances, and the airport's C terminal has reduced its operations. CBS News national reporter Kati Weis joining me now with more on this. Kati, there must be a lot of frustration from travelers. What are you hearing from them about all of this limbo? It's certainly taking a toll, Juliette, as you can imagine. More than a third of TSA agents here at the New Orleans airport called out sick earlier this week. It's been a real difficulty for many travelers. Now, while the line here doesn't look so bad, it's because it's in the evening hours right now, and so there aren't as many flights that are leaving out. But I know that in some of the morning hours when we have a lot more flights that are leaving out of this airport, the lines have been more than three hours long for people to get through security. But for the TSA agents who are having to work without pay, the situation is getting dire. In fact, the president of the local union representing these TSA agents here in New Orleans told our affiliate, WWL, "We're two checks behind as of right now, and doing the job that we love doesn't pay the bills. Gratitude doesn't pay the bills." Here's also what one TSA agent at a DC airport had to say. Lawmakers, listen, we're not Republicans. We're not Democrats. We're not independents. We're just people that come to work every day to do our job, and all we expect you guys to do is do your job. Pay us for what we do. That's all we're asking. And we appreciate you guys if you can get that job done. Now, the TSA also says that more than 300 agents have quit since the shutdown began in February, and the acting deputy director of the TSA, Adam Stahl, also is telling CBS News that if things continue and don't improve, there could be some scenarios where we might see some airports shut down. Yeah, that's the scary part, and sometimes that's what gets lawmakers to work and get it done. But how are some airports supporting TSA workers right now? Sure. In the meantime, as we wait for that compromise in DC, many airports are actually coming up with some support systems for their TSA agents. In fact, in Pittsburgh, they've created a food pantry at the airport. They partnered with a local food bank to be able to help TSA agents feed their families during this difficult time. In fact, the airport president there says, quote, "We want to do everything we can to support them." And here in New Orleans, I asked the airport staff if they're doing something similar. They said they're still working out plans for a specific kind of program that could help support these TSA agents as they work without pay. But they did add that a local nonprofit here has been coming to serve these agents lunch for free every single day since the shutdown began. That is some real kindness hard at work. Juliette.

Absolutely. We appreciate TSA showing up and doing their job. Kati Weis. Kati, thank you so much.