admin
Across the country travelers are seeing fewer flights because our air traffic system is being stretched to the breaking point, and the people who keep our skies safe are paying the price. Airlines and Congress have acknowledged that controller shortages and the stress caused by the ongoing shutdown have forced schedule reductions to protect safety and give controllers a chance to breathe.
Rep. Troy Nehls didn’t mince words when he pointed the finger where it belongs: Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, are playing political games while hardworking air traffic controllers work without pay. Nehls and other House Republicans have warned that the strain on the aviation system is not theoretical — it’s real and it’s getting worse every day that the Senate refuses to pass a clean funding bill.
It’s telling that the major pilot unions, representing tens of thousands of professionals, joined in demanding Congress pass a clean continuing resolution to reopen the government immediately. Pilots and aviation professionals are now begging lawmakers to stop turning the lives of federal workers and the safety of travelers into bargaining chips. That should shame every senator who thinks political leverage is more important than public safety.
Airlines have had to trim flying during peak periods because FAA staffing and controller fatigue amplify even routine weather into cascading delays and cancellations. This is not just an inconvenience; it’s the avoidable consequence of elected officials refusing to do their job and fund government operations. Americans paying for tickets and arranging family travel deserve better than theatrical brinksmanship.
The House passed a clean continuing resolution weeks ago, yet Senate Democrats have blocked it, insisting on unrelated giveaways while families and federal workers suffer. That is not leadership — it is reckless hostage-taking, and Chuck Schumer’s refusal to bring a clean CR to the floor is a betrayal of the public trust. Voters should remember this dereliction the next time these senators ask for support.
Congressional Republicans and aviation leaders are united: reopen the government, pay those who are working without a paycheck, and stop using safety as leverage. The choice is simple for the Senate — act to restore normal operations or own the chaos you created. Americans who work for a living won’t forget who put politics ahead of public safety, and neither should you.
