Oct. 28 (UPI) — The federal government shutdown has deprived the nation’s air traffic controllers of full paychecks for the first time on Tuesday, which has some airlines supporting them.
Transportation Sec. Sean Duffy said the Federal Aviation Administration’s budget does not have much flexibility to enable him to transfer funds to pay essential workers, like air traffic controllers.
“The answer is open up the government,” Duffy told media during a Tuesday news conference at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport.
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., last week introduced a bill that would have provided funding for air traffic controllers, military personnel and other essential workers.
Senate Democrats mostly voted against the measure, which failed to muster the 60 votes needed to pass with a final tally of 54-45 on Thursday.
Only three Senate Democrats, John Ossof and Raphael Warnock of Georgia and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, voted to approve the funding bill.
When the federal government eventually reopens, federal workers will collect back pay.
The Trump administration reviewed ways to possibly fund the more than $500 million in pay received by air traffic controllers each month, but no reserves were found, Duffy said.
Despite the lack of pay, there will not be any coordinated union efforts to halt work, National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Nick Daniels told media at the LaGuardia Airport news conference.
He said it is illegal for air traffic controllers to strike, and Duffy has asked air traffic controllers to show up for work as scheduled.
“We’re seeing less problems in the airspace today than we have in prior shutdowns, Duffy said, as reported by Politico.
A staffing shortage caused about 44% of flight delays at the nation’s airports on Sunday, which Duffy said dropped to 24% on Monday.
Duffy also announced Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has sponsored a bill to pay air traffic controllers and baggage screeners while the federal government is shut down.
That measure would require support from more than three Senate Democrats to be approved and sent to the House for consideration, though.
The lack of funding for federal workers caused the American Federation of Government Employees to call on Senate Democrats to support a House-approved clean resolution to fund the federal government while Congress debates a full 2026 fiscal year budget bill.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Tuesday told media that Senate Democrats won’t budge on their demand to include $1.5 trillion in spending over the next 10 years in the continuing resolution that would fund the federal government through Nov. 21.
“We can do both and we need to do both,” Schumer said during his weekly news conference on Capitol Hill.
Senate Democrats are asking for an extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits that were enacted during the COVID-19 lockdown and to expand access to Medicaid.
Republican congressional leaders have said they are willing to negotiate such things in the budget bill, but not the continuing resolution.
Schumer said the continued lockdown will work in favor of the Democratic Party when health insurance premiums rise exponentially without a tax credit extension.
United Airlines is donating meals for air traffic controllers and other essential workers who keep the nation’s air travel system open while the federal government lacks funding, CBS News reported.
“We appreciate the hardworking federal employees who are keeping the air travel system running,” United Airlines officials told CBS News.
Workers are getting free meals at United’s hubs throughout the country, including in Washington, Houston, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, Newark and San Francisco.
Delta Airlines and JetBlue likewise are providing meals for air transportation workers.
The government shutdown is the nation’s second-longest at 28 days as of Tuesday and after Senate Democrats mostly voted against temporary funding 13 times.
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