Majority Leader | Research | The Leader Board | THE NEWSR...Skip to primary navigation Skip to content×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNE×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNExxsearchxMENUFacebookXInstagramFacebookXInstagramVisit Leader Thune's South Dakota Site Here THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNExxsearchxMENUHomeTHE NEWSROOMThe Leader Board10.08.25Democrats’ Shutdown Wreaks Havoc on Air Travel and Essential WorkersAs Democrats Vote to Keep the Government Shuttered, America’s Transportation System Is Starting to Buckle and Americans are Begging Democrats to Reopen the Government ONE WEEK IN, DEMOCRATS’ GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS INCREASINGLY IMPACTING AIR TRAVEL ACROSS THE COUNTRY“Travelers across the U.S. are beginning to feel the impacts of the government shutdown.” (NPR: The government shutdown keeps snarling air travel. Officials say it could get worse – 10/8/25)“Staffing shortages led to more flight delays at airports across the U.S. on Tuesday as the federal government shutdown stretched into a seventh day, while union leaders for air traffic controllers and airport security screeners warned the situation was likely to get worse.” (Associated Press: Staffing shortages cause more US flight delays as government shutdown reaches seventh day – 10/7/25)“On Wednesday, hundreds of flights were delayed and dozens canceled as airports struggled to keep operations going amid the government shutdown, according to data from FlightAware.” (NewsNation: Government shutdown slams nation’s already understaffed airports – 10/8/25)“The Federal Aviation Administration reported staffing issues at airports in Nashville, Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Philadelphia, and at its air traffic control centers in Atlanta, Houston and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The agency temporarily slowed takeoffs of planes headed to the first three cities.” (Associated Press: Staffing shortages cause more US flight delays as government shutdown reaches seventh day – 10/7/25)“The approach and departure facilities for Houston, Newark and Las Vegas did not have enough controllers working for at least part of Tuesday evening, along with the facilities that handle planes in the Boston, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Dallas areas, FAA operations plans noted.” (CNN: Delays spread to major airports across the country, as the government shutdown impacts travelers – 10/7/25)“[Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy] said that some areas had seen a 50 percent reduction in staffing and warned that if staff levels fall to a level that affects safety, there could be further delays or cancellations.” (The Washington Post: Flight delays roil major U.S. airports amid government shutdown – 10/8/25)“Long-standing controller staffing shortages — exacerbated by insufficient hiring, extensive training timelines and high dropout rates — have remained a problem in the years since. As Monday's events show, even a small number of sick calls can make a big impact.” (NPR: The government shutdown keeps snarling air travel. Officials say it could get worse – 10/8/25)“[T]he risk of wider impacts to the U.S. aviation system ‘is growing by the day’ as federal workers whose jobs are deemed critical continue working without pay, travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt said. The longer the shutdown drags on, the more likely it is to affect holiday travel plans in November, he said.” (Associated Press: Staffing shortages cause more US flight delays as government shutdown reaches seventh day – 10/7/25)DEMOCRATS’ SHUTDOWN PLACES MORE STRESS ON AN ALREADY STRAINED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM AND TSA WORKFORCE“This is their living. They’re concerned now if they don’t get their paychecks, how do I pay my mortgage? How do I pay my car payment? What do I do to put food on the table?” – Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy“The aviation problems come as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says more controllers are calling out sick. Like Transportation Security Administration officers, air traffic controllers are considered essential employees and must work without pay during the shutdown.” (CNN: Delays spread to major airports across the country, as the government shutdown impacts travelers – 10/7/25)“Controllers have not yet missed a paycheck, but continue to worry about what happens when they do, Duffy said Tuesday.” (CNN: Delays spread to major airports across the country, as the government shutdown impacts travelers – 10/7/25)“The next payday is October 14, but unless the government reopens before then, controllers will only be paid for time worked before the shutdown. If government operations have not resumed, October 28 would be the first scheduled payday controllers aren’t paid at all.” (CNN: Delays spread to major airports across the country, as the government shutdown impacts travelers – 10/7/25)“NATCA, which represents more than 20,000 air traffic controllers, says many of its members were already working 10 hours a day, six days a week, and the shutdown has put them under further strain by furloughing safety support staff and suspending support programs.” (NPR: The government shutdown keeps snarling air travel. Officials say it could get worse – 10/8/25)“Nick Daniels, president of NATCA, who appeared with Duffy at a news conference held at Newark Liberty International Airport, urged Congress to end the shutdown so that controllers could focus on their jobs.” (The Washington Post: Flight delays roil major U.S. airports amid government shutdown – 10/8/25)“We need to bring this shutdown to a close so that the Federal Aviation Administration and the committed aviation safety professionals can… put this distraction behind us and completely focus on their vital work. We do not have the luxury of time.” – Nick Daniels, President of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association“Johnny Jones, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees chapter that represents TSA workers, said he was hearing concerns from members about how they will be able to pay bills, including child support and mortgage payments, and if they’re at risk for termination if they have to miss work during the shutdown.” (Associated Press: Staffing shortages cause more US flight delays as government shutdown reaches seventh day – 10/7/25)“The employees are struggling. They’re assessing what they need to do and they’re assessing how this is all going to work out.” – Johnny Jones, Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of Government EmployeesDEMOCRATS KNEW THEIR SHUTDOWN WOULD IMPACT TRAVEL, AND AMERICANS WANT DEMOCRATS TO SUPPORT REPUBLICANS’ COMMONSENSE WAY OUT OF THE SHUTDOWN“A government shutdown would be a terrible and unnecessary outcome for our country. Millions of Americans who count on government services would have their lives disrupted. It could impact the pay of our service members who so bravely serve us. Air traffic controllers and TSA employees would have to work without pay… A shutdown would be disastrous. A shutdown would be unnecessary.” – Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) (9/20/23)“It’s about the harm… Families will be hurt. Farmers will be hurt… If the government shuts down, holiday travel will be impacted. The ability of everyday Americans to visit their family, their friends, their loved ones will be impacted. Border security and border patrol agents will not be paid. TSA agents will not be paid. Small businesses will be hurt in every single community in this country.” – House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) (12/19/24)“Thing is, DEMOCRATS shut the government down. Not Republicans.” (Rachael Bade: post on X – 10/1/25)“There is a clean funding bill on the table. Only a handful of Senate Democrats need to vote for it. Then they can get all the lights back on and fight over Obamacare subsidies.” (The Washington Post: Editorial: Why the White House might dial up the shutdown pain – 10/7/25)Senate Democrats have voted against funding the government via a clean continuing resolution (CR) six times, a CR the House has already passed. (H.R. 5371: Roll Call Vote #551 – 10/8/25; H.R. 5371: Roll Call Vote #545 – 10/6/25; H.R. 5371: Roll Call Vote #543 – 10/3/25; H.R. 5371: Roll Call Vote #537 – 10/1/25; H.R. 5371: Roll Call Vote #535 – 9/30/25; H.R. 5371: Roll Call Vote #528 – 9/19/25)Republicans’ CR “would keep federal agencies funded through Nov. 21 to buy appropriators more time to negotiate and pass fiscal 2026 spending bills. It does not include partisan policy riders or cut funding.” (E&E News: Republican push for funding patch hits Democratic wall – 9/17/25)“The measure is relatively clean, meaning it doesn’t have partisan policy riders. Democrats seem to agree, because they’re attacking what’s not in the bill…” (Punchbowl News: AM: Fed Day hits different this time – 9/17/25)Americans didn’t want Democrats to shut down the government:(The New York Times poll – 9/30/25)And Americans “overwhelmingly” oppose Democrats’ government shutdown and want them to accept “a continuing resolution at current spending levels:”“70% of voters oppose the government shutdown.”“65% of voters say Democrats should end the shutdown by accepting a continuing resolution at current spending levels (Democrats: 39%; Republicans: 90%; Independents: 63%).”“55% of voters say the Democrats behind the shutdown are motivated by pleasing their base.” (Harvard/Harris poll – Sept. 2025)PrintEmailTweetNextPreviousTHE NEWSROOMSENATE RESOURCESABOUT LEADER THUNEFacebookXInstagram
