(Crankers) If you’re looking for a feelgood story, then here’s one for ya! And for once, I don’t have anything stupid to say about something.
Wait, yes I do. Imagine patting people on the crotch all day and getting a $10k bonus check in the mail. That’s cool, right?
I’m glad these workers are being compensated for staying on duty while the clowns in government shut it down and argued for almost three months.
Good job and we all appreciate it.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that select Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers will receive one-time $10,000 bonus checks for what the agency is calling “exemplary service” during the recent 43-day federal government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history.
Speaking at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Noem said the bonuses will go to TSA employees who continued to work without pay, took on additional shifts, or provided extra support to colleagues during a period when airports nationwide faced staffing shortages and growing passenger delays. She highlighted several officers by name, including Reico Walker and Ashley Robinson, who were recognized at the event.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the bonus payments will come in addition to back pay owed to all federal employees affected by the shutdown. DHS officials said the bonuses will be funded using carryover money from the 2025 fiscal year, meaning the payments do not require new congressional appropriations. Reuters reported that DHS has not yet released final estimates of how many TSA officers will qualify for the full $10,000.
The bonus initiative comes after TSA officers were among the most visible federal workers impacted by the shutdown. While many agencies furloughed staff, TSA remained fully operational because airport security is classified as essential. With no paychecks coming in, some officers called out, and several airports reported unusually long wait times as schedules thinned and stress increased across the system.
Noem said the payments are designed to “recognize the people who kept this country moving,” adding that TSA staff “showed up when it mattered most.” Business Insider confirmed that the bonuses will be issued once DHS completes its internal evaluation of which officers meet the “exemplary service” threshold.
While the announcement has been praised by some airport workers, the decision has also raised questions about how the recipients will be chosen and how many employees will receive the full award. The agency has not released a detailed breakdown of the eligibility criteria, saying only that it will review job performance during the shutdown, attendance records, and instances in which officers supported colleagues or travelers under unusual pressure.
The move marks one of the largest single bonus offerings ever announced for TSA personnel. Historically, TSA employees have received modest retention incentives or performance-based awards, but rarely on a scale approaching $10,000 per officer.
For now, TSA employees are waiting for more details from DHS about the rollout timeline and the number of officers who will receive the full bonus. Noem said more information will be released “in the coming weeks” as the department completes its internal review.
Watch Kristi Noem on video:
