By The Staff
If you want to see the real-world consequences of Washington dysfunction, take a trip through security at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Travelers passing through New Jersey’s largest airport are increasingly encountering longer lines, slower screening, and rising frustration as the partial federal government shutdown drags on. The reason isn’t complicated: the Transportation Security Administration — the agency responsible for screening passengers and protecting the nation’s aviation system — is operating without full funding.
And New Jersey’s Democratic members of Congress are helping make that possible.
Across the country, TSA officers are still required to work because they’re considered essential personnel. But during a shutdown they do so without pay until Congress restores funding. Predictably, that situation is creating staffing challenges. Absenteeism among TSA officers has surged, and hundreds of officers nationwide have already left their positions during the standoff.
At a busy hub like Newark Liberty International Airport, even small staffing shortages can ripple through the entire travel system.
For travelers, the result is longer security lines and earlier arrival times. Some passengers are being advised to show up hours before departure to avoid missing flights.
The situation has grown serious enough that airline executives and transportation officials are warning Washington that the shutdown could trigger widespread disruptions if it continues much longer.
But while New Jersey travelers wait in line, the state’s Democratic representatives in Congress continue playing political games.
In the Senate, Cory Booker and Andy Kim have aligned with their party’s leadership in the shutdown standoff. In the House, influential New Jersey Democrats such as Nellie Pou have taken similar positions.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans have pushed for funding legislation aimed at reopening the affected portions of the federal government while addressing key national priorities, including border security and fiscal discipline.
New Jersey Democrats, however, have largely chosen to back Washington leadership over the immediate concerns of their own constituents.
That may play well with progressive activists on social media. It plays far less well with the thousands of New Jersey residents trying to catch a flight out of Newark.
“Shutdowns hurt working Americans first,” one aviation industry official recently warned while urging Congress to reach a deal and restore funding for aviation security operations.
They’re right.
The TSA workforce is already under pressure even in normal circumstances. Officers handle millions of passengers every week, often in crowded and stressful conditions. Asking them to continue working without paychecks — particularly in high-cost regions like the New York–New Jersey metropolitan area — is a recipe for absenteeism and resignations.
And when staffing drops, the consequences show up immediately at security checkpoints.
At Newark, those problems are magnified because the airport is already one of the busiest and most operationally complex hubs in the country. Flight congestion, runway construction, and air traffic control staffing shortages have strained the airport for years.
Add a partial federal shutdown to the mix and the system begins to crack.
New Jersey travelers are left wondering why their elected representatives seem more interested in political theater than basic governance.
It’s not as if airport security is a partisan issue. Keeping the nation’s aviation system safe and functioning is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of the federal government.
Yet here we are.
The irony is that New Jersey’s congressional delegation often portrays itself as laser-focused on infrastructure, transportation, and economic growth. Newark Liberty is a major economic engine for the state, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and serving as a gateway for both business and tourism.
But when the moment arrives to keep the government functioning — and protect the workers who keep airports running — those priorities suddenly take a back seat to Washington brinkmanship.
No one expects politics to disappear from Congress.
New Jersey travelers nevertheless deserve better than political theater in Washington. When security lines stretch for hours at Newark Liberty International Airport, it’s not because TSA officers suddenly forgot how to do their jobs. It’s because Congress failed to do theirs. If senators like Cory Booker and Andy Kim want to explain why Newark travelers are missing flights and TSA officers are missing paychecks, they shouldn’t blame “Washington dysfunction.” They should start by looking in the mirror.
