Travel groups praised President Trump and new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary Markwayne Mullin for their pledge to begin paying TSA officers by Monday.
But they are also continuing to call on Congress to end the DHS shutdown and pass legislation that will shield TSA officers and air traffic controllers from missing out on pay during future shutdowns.
"We commend President Trump and Secretary Mullin for stepping in to ensure TSA officers are paid and checkpoint operations remain efficient at airports across the country," U.S. Travel Association said in a Friday evening statement. "Their actions prevent Congress from continuing to use American travelers and critical aviation workers as political leverage during this shutdown."
Trump said Friday afternoon that he had directed the DHS to pay TSA officers using previously authorized funds "that have a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations."
The specific source of the funding hasn't been made clear, raising legal questions as well as questions about how long the funds will last.
In a tweet, the DHS said TSA officers should begin receiving paychecks by Monday, their first since February.
The president's decision came after House Republicans rejected a compromise passed early Friday morning by the Senate, which would have paid TSA agents and reopened much of the DHS while leaving the battle over new ICE deportation funding unresolved.
In a statement, Airlines for America (A4A) also praised Trump and Mullin, but it called on Congress to pass the Keep America Flying Act, which would guarantee TSA officers are paid through future government shutdowns. A4A also called on Congress to pass the Aviation Funding Solvency and the Aviation Funding Stability acts, which would guarantee air traffic controllers receive paycheck protections.
"Congress, do your job and stop this unnecessary disruption to travel and our economy from ever happening again," A4A said.
U.S. Travel called for similar legislation.
Meanwhile, the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents TSA officers, implored Congress to pass legislation to fully reopen DHS so that all its employees would resume receiving paychecks.
"We don't yet know what this means for thousands of other DHS employees at FEMA, the Coast Guard and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, among others," the union said. "These workers and their families cannot wait. All DHS workers must be paid immediately."