Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Saturday presented bonus checks to some TSA officers for going "above and beyond" and working during the recent government shutdown.

"They not only showed up and filled their shifts while the government shutdown was ongoing, many of them took on extra shifts and covered responsibilities for individuals who didn't come to work," Noem said as she presented workers with the check certificates in Las Vegas.

"They also went above and beyond to serve other people in their community, or to help their fellow employees get through a difficult time."

Earlier this month Noem announced that any TSA officers who went “above and beyond” while working without pay would get $10,000 bonuses, but she never specified how many would qualify beyond the handful of checks she handed out to officers at the news conference.

Only 776 air traffic controllers and technicians who had perfect attendance during the government shutdown will receive $10,000 bonuses while nearly 20,000 other workers will be left out, the Federal Aviation Administration announced earlier this month.

A number of controllers started calling out of work as the shutdown dragged on longer than a month and they dealt with the financial pressure of working without a paycheck.

Some of them got side jobs, but others simply couldn't afford the child care or gas they needed to work.

Their absences forced delays at airports across the country and led the government to order airlines to cut some of their flights at 40 busy airports.

President Donald Trump suggested the bonuses for those who have stayed on the job in a social media post, but he also suggested that controllers who missed work should have their pay docked.

FAA officials haven't publicly announced plans to penalize controllers.

Noem also announced on Saturday new investments in technology to de deployed in airports.

"The new technology will include not only x-ray technology to scan carry-on bags, also checked bags, but also the physical, you know, technology that it takes to scan individuals," Noem explained.