Aviation groups are heaping more pressure on US lawmakers to end a now four-week federal government shutdown, including by urging Democratics to stop opposing a Republican-proposed funding bill.
The calls come as the head of the air traffic controllers’ union warns air traffic may need to be restricted to maintain safety, saying some controllers have needed to find other jobs to pay their bills.
The Federal Aviation Administration’s air traffic organisation continues operating during shutdowns, but controllers – who were already in short supply – are not paid. They missed their first full-period paycheck on 28 October.
“America’s air traffic controllers are now having to focus on how do they put gas in the car… That makes the system less safe, and the only way to make it safe is to reduce the number of aircraft,” National Air Traffic Controllers Association president Nick Daniels said on 28 October.
Vast swaths of the US federal government shut down on 1 October after lawmakers failed to agree to a government funding bill. Controller shortages have been contributing to flight delays in recent days.
But pressure to end the funding impasse is boiling over.
“We urge elected leaders to act with an appropriate sense of urgency to solve this problem and immediately reopen the federal government,” airline group Airlines for America said on 24 October. “The quickest and simplest way to ensure those critical employees are paid is by passing a clean CR.”
Republicans, who control both houses of Congress, have proposed reopening the government through a “clean” continuing resolution, or CR. Continuing resolutions are short-term spending bills that reopen government absent full-year bills. “Clean” CRs maintain funding at prior levels and lack new policies, typically making them attractive to bipartisan support.
Most Democratic lawmakers have voted against the clean CR because they want a bill that includes healthcare subsidies. Republicans, despite holding a majority in Congress, cannot pass the measure without more Democrats’ support due to parliamentary rules in the US Senate that require a super majority for passing most legislation.
“Considering the strain on our nation’s aviation system, SWAPA strongly urges Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution to fund the government,” Southwest Airlines Pilots Association president Jody Reven said on 22 October.
“We call on Congress to end the government shutdown by passing a clean continuing resolution,” said the Coalition for Airline Pilots Association, according a post on the White House’s website.
That group, which represents unions including Allied Pilots Association and Independent Pilots Association, did not respond to multiple requests for comment from FlightGlobal.
The USA’s largest pilot union, the Air Line Pilots Association, has not come down publicly on either side of the debate but is urging lawmakers to work out differences.
“It is time for our leaders to come to the table in good faith to make a deal that will reopen the government,” says ALPA president Jason Ambrosi.
US Department of Transportation documents show that the FAA’s shutdown plan calls for 11,300 of its 44,800 to be furloughed.
Activities that remain operational during the shutdown include air traffic control, issuing of airworthiness directives, some certification work and accident investigations.
