As the US enters the holiday season over the next two months, and the highest level of air travel throughout the year, concerns are growing that the federal government shutdown will cause massive interference with travelers’ plans. Flights heading to Nashville International Airport (BNA) are experiencing delays this weekend due to staffing issues, according to the National Airspace System Status. Similar delays are occurring across the country.
Orlando is considering dramatic reductions in flights to address the issue, which could seriously impact tourism at Disney and other locations in Central Florida.
Air traffic controllers have been working without pay for nearly a month. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been warning that travelers will start to see more flight disruptions the longer controllers go without a paycheck. There are also concerns that overworked and stressed air traffic controllers might make mistakes that could lead to deadly crashes.
Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn has been expressing concern over the disruption to flights and national security risks from the government shutdown for weeks. “We are witnessing shortages in air traffic controllers across our nation because Democrats refuse to come to the table and work with Republicans to end the government shutdown,” Blackburn has pointed out. “They’re creating a national security threat.”
Under Senate rules, 60 votes are needed to pass a continuing budget resolution which would reopen the government. Republicans only have 53 votes in the US Senate, thereby requiring at least seven Democrats to vote to reopen the government.
Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have voted 13 times to block a clean, continuing resolution that is identical to what they have voted in support of in the past. The most recent votes to reopen the government have stalled at 55 total votes, meaning five Democrats will need to shift their votes in order for the government to reopen. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul has been the lone Republican opposing ending the shutdown.
In the meantime, many federal workers continue to work without pay, SNAP benefits ended this weekend, and other federal government functions have ceased pending resolution of the continuing resolution vote to reopen the government.
Steve Gill is editor and publisher of TriStar Daily.
