Delta suspends major travel perk for members of Congress
Today’s newsletter highlights:
- Lawmakers approve a bill increasing penalties for blocking streets.
- The financial imbalance in the governor’s race is widening.
- The state Senate passes a bill aimed at stopping Georgia from changing the clocks twice a year.
With airport security lines stretching for hours and the congressional stalemate over Homeland Security funding now in its sixth week, Atlanta’s Delta Air Lines is suspending major travel perks for members of Congress.
“Due to the impact on resources from the longstanding government shutdown, Delta will temporarily suspend specialty services to members of Congress flying Delta,” a Delta statement read. “Next to safety, Delta’s No. 1 priority is taking care of our people and customers, which has become increasingly difficult in the current environment.”
According to Delta, those specialty services include things like airport escorts and “red coat” service for members of Congress.
The specialty services suspension follows angry comments from Delta CEO Ed Bastian last week, when he said the Transportation Security Administration agents who screen passengers at airports are being used as “political chips” in congressional negotiations over DHS funding.
“It’s inexcusable that our security agents, frontline workers central to what we do, are not being paid,” Bastian said. “We’re outraged. Let’s get our people who are essential to our security paid quickly.”
Like most major airlines, Delta has long operated the special congressional reservation desk known on Capitol Hill as the “Delta Desk.” The dedicated service helps members book trips at government rates, make last-minute ticketing changes and even reserve seats on multiple flights on the same day to accommodate congressional votes. That service remains open.
Things to know
Good morning! Here are three things to know for today:
- The Georgia Legislature has agreed to ban high school students from having cellphones in class. The bill now heads to Gov. Brian Kemp, who will decide whether to sign it into law, the AJC’s Martha Dalton reports.
- The Georgia Senate on Monday voted to petition President Donald Trump’s administration to shift Georgia to Atlantic Standard Time, which would put an end to changing the clocks twice per year, the AJC’s Caleb Groves reports.
- Federal budget cuts have threatened a beach renourishment program, raising worries on Tybee Island, the AJC’s Adam Van Brimmer and Drew Kann report.
Protester penalties
Block a road or a highway, risk jail time.
Georgia lawmakers approved a bill Monday that would sharply increase penalties for protesters who obstruct streets, sending it to Kemp’s desk.
The measure would make it a high and aggravated misdemeanor — punishable by up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine — and open protesters to lawsuits for disruptions they cause.
Republicans say the bill is designed to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles, school buses and commuters. One supporter invoked images of potential harm from demonstrators, from slowing parents trying to pick up kids from school to ambulances delayed from disasters.
Democrats worry it goes much further. They warn it could chill protests and target the kinds of disruptive demonstrations that have long spurred political change.
The 96-69 vote was largely along party lines, just as it was earlier this month in the Senate. Now it’s up to Kemp, who has taken a hard line against traffic-disrupting protests.
Look no further than when pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked bridges in other cities in 2024. He had a blunt instruction for state authorities if it happened in Georgia: “Lock their ass up.”
Cha-ching
The financial imbalance in the Georgia race for governor is only growing.
Roughly $77 million has already been spent or reserved on TV ads by Republicans jockeying for Georgia’s top job. Democrats, by contrast, have spent just about $1 million, mostly from former state Sen. Jason Esteves’ campaign.
Now there’s a new player. A group called Hard Working Georgia Families is adding nearly $500,000 to the mix this week.
The name might sound familiar — it echoes Kemp’s federal PAC and favorite slogan. But we’re told this one is backed by allies of Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, one of four top contenders competing for the GOP nod.
DA pay
Lawmakers on Monday voted to standardize the pay for district attorneys, a move aimed at making sure those in rural areas aren’t making significantly less than their metro Atlanta counterparts. But Democrats had some questions about the logic.
Local governments are the primary drivers for the pay disparity, as some supplement their district attorneys’ salaries more than others. This bill, if it becomes law, would shift the bulk of the salary to the state government while capping local subsidies.
Republicans argued Monday that all district attorneys should be treated the same. But just a few weeks ago, they were arguing the opposite. They tried to push through legislation that would have required metro Atlanta district attorneys — and only metro Atlanta district attorneys — to run in nonpartisan elections. The bill failed.
“Why wouldn’t that reasoning apply here?” Democratic state Sen. Nan Orrock, D-Atlanta, asked.
Republican state Sen. Bo Hatchett, R-Cornelia, called it a policy decision. He noted the Legislature passed a similar bill last year for judges.
Far out
Psychedelic drugs are not legal in Georgia or most anywhere else in the United States. But Georgia lawmakers passed a bill Monday that would regulate them anyway, just in case.
State Sen. Ben Watson noted psychedelic drugs are in advanced clinical trials for medical uses, including treating post-traumatic stress disorder with military veterans.
Watson said lawmakers want to prevent what happened with ketamine, when largely unregulated clinics popped up dispensing the powerful painkiller. He called House Bill 717 “sort of a preemptive strike.”
King Scott?
Thousands of protesters are expected to flood Georgia streets this weekend for “No Kings” rallies from Americus to Woodstock. Some candidates are trying to ride that wave.
Democrat Everton Blair, who is challenging U.S. Rep. David Scott in a May primary, is hosting his own rally at Stone Mountain.
Blair is drawing a blunt comparison between Trump and the longtime Democratic lawmaker as he tries to link the national protests to his local campaign.
“Georgia’s 13th does not need a king in Donald Trump, and we do not need a king in our congressman,” reads the rally invite. “David Scott is not a king. He does not get to die in office. The stakes are too high.”
Blair is one of several Democrats aiming to unseat the 80-year-old incumbent, who is facing scrutiny over his age and health in a safely blue district.
Under the Gold Dome
The Legislature won’t meet today. Lawmakers will meet in committees. There are four legislative days left in the session. Some happenings:
- 9:30 a.m.: Senate Judiciary Non-Civil Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 591, which would make it a crime to disrupt a religious service.
- 10 a.m.: House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee meets to discuss Senate Bill 482, which would place restrictions on the public requesting photos and videos captured by police.
- 10 a.m.: House Technology and Infrastructure Innovation Committee meets to discuss Senate Bill 540, which would require operators of conversational artificial intelligence services to take steps to limit certain actions related to minors.
- 1 p.m.: Senate Children and Families Committee meets to consider House Bill 943, which would establish a pilot program for autism spectrum disorder children in foster care.
Listen up
Today on the “Politically Georgia” podcast, the AJC’s Shaddi Abusaid joins the show to talk about the impact of long security lines at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Then, state Rep. John Carson, R-Marietta, explains why lawmakers voted to suspend the state gas tax.
You can listen and subscribe to “Politically Georgia” for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Have a question or comment for the show? Email us at politicallygeorgia@ajc.com or give us a call at 770-810-5297 and you could be featured on a future episode.
Framework of a deal
Things are far from sorted out, but late Monday it was starting to look like the U.S. Senate was pinning down a deal to end the partial government shutdown and pay Transportation Security Administration workers.
Even if an agreement is reached, it will take several days for legislation to be drawn up and the U.S. House and Senate to take the procedural steps needed to bring it to a vote. But the key hurdle is Trump, who on Sunday said he did not want Senate Republicans to make a deal with Democrats to end the partial shutdown unless an agreement also includes passing of his elections bill, the SAVE America Act.
Multiple news organizations reported that the first piece would be quick passage of funding for all of DHS except for operations tied to immigration enforcement.
Separately, Republicans will use the budget reconciliation process to pass funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and parts, if not all, of the SAVE America Act. Reconciliation would allow Republicans to pass a bill without the threat of Senate Democrats using the filibuster to block it.
A group of GOP senators visited with Trump at the White House on Monday evening and returned to the Capitol optimistic.
“I’m going to be working through the night, so hopefully we can land this plane,” U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., told reporters afterward.
Today in Washington
- Trump will swear in U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin as secretary of Homeland Security.
- The House has evening votes scheduled.
- The Senate will vote on a Trump nomination and an Iran war powers resolution. They could also take procedural steps on the SAVE America Act.
- U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock and U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., will hold a joint event with presidents of historically Black colleges and universities to celebrate introduction of their bill to increase funding for these institutions.
Immediate resignation
State Sen. Freddie Powell Sims, D-Dawson, resigned from the Senate on Monday and will no longer seek reelection.
WALB News 10 in Albany reported that Sims’ decision came on the heels of a medical emergency experienced by her husband.
“My husband is very, very ill, gravely ill. Family comes first,” she said, according to WALB.
Serving in the Legislature since 2005, Sims was known for championing the agriculture industry throughout her tenure in the House and then the Senate. Three Democrats had qualified to challenge her in the May primary for her seat.
Shoutout
Today’s birthday:
- State Rep. Brian Prince, D-Augusta.
Before you go
Rome’s historic Floyd County Courthouse was engulfed in flames Monday, just after a long-awaited renovation to the 1892 landmark had begun. The AJC’s Ernie Suggs reports the fire claimed the iconic bell tower of the courthouse and left the interior in ruins. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
That’ll do it for us today. As always, you can send your best scoops, gossip and insider information to greg.bluestein@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com and adam.beam@ajc.com.
Clarification
An earlier version of this article included a statement from Delta Air Lines in response to a query about its Capitol Desk operations. Delta has clarified that while its Capitol Desk remains open, its elite services for members of Congress are suspended.
About the Authors
Greg Bluestein is the Atlanta Journal Constitution's chief political reporter. He is also an author, TV analyst and co-host of the Politically Georgia podcast.
Tia Mitchell is the AJC’s Washington Bureau Chief and a co-host of the "Politically Georgia" podcast. She writes about Georgia’s congressional delegation, campaigns, elections and the impact that decisions made in D.C. have on residents of the Peach State.
Patricia Murphy is the AJC's senior political columnist. She was previously a nationally syndicated columnist for CQ Roll Call, national political reporter for the Daily Beast and Politics Daily, and wrote for The Washington Post and Garden & Gun. She graduated from Vanderbilt and holds a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University.
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