JUSTICE FOR TSA WORKERS

On 2026-04-23, Representative Al Green (D-TX-9) delivered a floor speech titled "JUSTICE FOR TSA WORKERS" in the House. The speech addressed taxes and also covered the environment, trade policy. It referenced legislation: HR8411.

JUSTICE FOR TSA WORKERS

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 72 (Thursday, April 23, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 72 (Thursday, April 23, 2026)] [House] [Pages H3082-H3085] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] JUSTICE FOR TSA WORKERS (Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, Mr. Green of Texas was recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.) Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mr. Speaker, and still I rise and still I rise, and I rise today as an unbought, unbossed, and liberated Democrat. I rise today to speak in the name of we, the people, Mr. Speaker, who believe in liberty and justice for all as presented to us and as we pledge in the pledge of allegiance: liberty and justice for all. I rise in the name of liberty and justice for all, Mr. Speaker, because while there are many people in this country who are not receiving the justice for all, I will focus today on one group of people. I assure you this could go on endlessly if time permitted, but I want to focus on one group of people today because they have been treated unjustly. I focus on a group of people who are there to protect us, to defend us, to assure us that when we board a plane and when we are at 35,000 feet, at 500 miles per hour, we will be there safe. We will be secure. There is nothing more important than the structural integrity of that plane when you are at 35,000 feet, moving at 500 miles per hour. I rise in the name of justice for the TSA workers, Mr. Speaker, and I rise in the name of justice for the TSA workers for many reasons, a multiplicity of reasons. Today, I have to focus on just a couple: One, as I made my way through the airport in Houston, Texas, when we were having the shutdown, as it were, and I made my way to my gate, my destination was Washington, D.C. As I did this, one of the TSA workers approached me, and her words to me were words that penetrated really to my heart. She said: ``Help us, help us.'' I want her to know I have not forgotten her. I have not forgotten the TSA workers. I have shown my solidarity with the TSA workers by withholding payment to me until they get payment for themselves. I actually asked the payroll department here in the Congress to withhold my pay. I want to be in solidarity with them because this is an injustice being perpetrated upon them, and I want them to know that I stand with them. As I said, there are many others who are suffering similar injustice, but I want to focus on them today because of a commitment that I made to this worker. I told her I wouldn't forget them, and I want to help them. So above and beyond what we will ultimately do at some point--and I am not sure who knows when--but at some point, we will restore the proper pay to them at the proper time. However, that will not eradicate the injustice that has been perpetrated upon them and that is being perpetuated even as I speak now. I rise today to say that I have examined the salaries of the TSA workers. In so doing, I have concluded that not only should they get their salaries restored and paid at the proper times, but they should also get a raise. The TSA workers deserve a raise. I have a chart with me. Many of you are familiar with my cane. I have a chart with me, and I use my cane as a pointer. This chart will validate what I say about the TSA workers being underpaid. They do a tremendous job. They protect us. They cannot make a mistake. They have to be right 100 percent of the time. That one time that they miscue can cause someone to be harmed or possibly a life to be lost at 35,000 feet, 500 miles per hour. I have examined their salaries, and here is what I found: That the salary first year for a TSA worker is $40,000. Well, I juxtaposed that salary to a firefighter in Houston, Texas: First year, $59,000; Houston police officer, $78,500. These salaries, as you can see, exceed what the TSA worker receives first year, first-year salaries. I have gone on to show second-year salaries, ten-year salaries. I am proposing, pursuant to a bill that I have already filed, H.R. 8411. I shall read what it says under the title of the bill: ``To increase the annual rate of basic pay for career employees of the Transportation Security Administration''--that is the TSA--``and for other purposes.'' It goes on to say in section 2: ``TSA employee pay increase.'' That is the style of the section. The language of it under (A) reads in general: ``Beginning on the first day of the applicable pay period''-- some things bear repeating. ``Beginning on the first day of the applicable pay period, the annual rate of basic pay for each career employee shall be increased by 15 percent.'' By the way, quite frankly, I would like to have it be more than 15 percent, but I am going to say 15 percent now because I have got to start someplace, and I am juxtaposing their salaries to the salaries of Houston firefighters and Houston police officers. Now, let's take a look at the chart with the 15 percent increase in mind. First year again: TSA officer, $40,000 now, 15 percent increase, the raise will take them to $46,000 first year, $6,000 pay increase. They earn every penny of it, and I would defend this anywhere, anytime, anyplace in the presence of anyone. They earn every penny. Houston firefighters first year are at $59,000, police $78,500. Well, they will be at $46,000. As I said, I think that it should be more; but I am juxtaposing, and I am going to use this as my starting point. The second year, they will have $56,000 from $49,000. That is the increase, again to $56,000, and the firefighters are at $62,000. {time} 1120 By the way, the firefighters earn their money. The police officers earn their money. This is not to say that they should not have what they have. It is to say that the TSA officers are underpaid, that they have not been treated justly. They have not been treated fairly. We are talking about liberty and justice for all. Well, that has got to include these TSA officers. The second year is $56,000 with the raise from $49,000. The firefighters are at $62,000 approximately. All of these are approximations. The police officers are at $80,000. Again, I think the TSA officers merit more. This is a starting point. I then take us out to 10 years. In 10 years for a TSA officer you have approximately $72,500. With the raise it is $83,000. That is the raise of 15 percent in each of these classes that I have called to your attention. The firefighter is at $71,000, and the police officer is at $103,000 to $140,000. This is in Houston, Texas. By the way, I think these police officers merit this pay. They earn this pay. I think the firefighters merit the pay. They earn the pay. I also think that the TSA officers earn the pay, and they deserve more pay. I am here in the Congress of the United States of America. I have the ability to lobby on behalf of them, to speak on behalf of them, and to speak on behalf of we the people. I believe that we the people would want to see a 15 percent raise for the TSA officers who serve us with great distinction across the length and breadth of our country. This bill has been filed. I filed this bill just recently on April 17. Again, it is H.R. 8411. It is a bill ``To increase the annual rate of basic pay for career employees of the Transportation Security Agency, and for other purposes.'' And I will add now to increase that pay to 15 percent. This is justice. This is what justice looks like. We see what their work product looks like when we pass through the airports, and we understand now that when they are not properly paid and the airports are understaffed, we understand how that impacts us personally. We see what justice looks like. We see what the injustice perpetrated upon them looks like. And we see how that injustice has also been filtered down or filtered to--I don't know whether it is up or down, but one way or another--the flying public because the flying public then finds themselves missing planes. Planes are delayed. We need to do more. Let's have them back to work with the pay that they are receiving currently, and let's have them get it timely, but let's also do this: Let's give them a 15 percent raise. This is where I stand. This is where I stand, and I stand on these words. The person who is to be quoted is not known to me, so I cannot give proper attribution, but I can tell you they are not my words. These words are important, and I think they speak well of what we must do. Some measure their lives by days and years. Others by heartthrobs, passion, and tears. But the surest measure under [[Page H3083]] God's Sun is what for others in your lifetime have you done. Let us do something for TSA workers, not only in our lifetime, but let's do it as soon as possible so that we can make a difference for them in their lifetimes. I conclude on this topic, Mr. Speaker, but I now move to another place to embrace another topic. We the People Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, once again I rise. Once again I rise to address we the people. Once again I rise to address we the people. Those who believe in a government of the people, by the people, for the people. Those who believe that all persons are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We the people believe in liberty and justice for all. We the people believe in something as simple and as basic as fair play, as respect, being respectful, showing the proper courtesies, showing the country that we understand that if the country is to have harmony within, we the people have to respect each other within. We the people. I rise in the name of we the people. Today, as I rise in the name of we the people, I would remind us that I am the Al Green who is not only unbought, not only unbossed, not only unafraid, not only liberated, but also censured. I was censured but not silenced; censured but not silenced. My ce

Referenced legislation: HR8411