JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Steps are being taken on Capitol Hill to pay air traffic controllers during the federal government shutdown.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said staffing issues among air traffic controllers were to blame for 53% of flight delays since the shutdown, now in its 17th day, compared with 5% in normal times.
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There is growing concern, as the shutdown stalemate goes on, that there will be a growing risk for air travel.
Rep. Aaron Bean, who represents Northeast Florida’s 4th Congressional District, wants to avoid that.
He introduced the “Aviation Funding Stability Act of 2025,” which would ensure that America’s air traffic controllers and essential FAA personnel continue to be paid, even during the shutdown.
He joined News4JAX Anchor Bruce Hamilton on The Morning Show and said this a preemptive strike against chaos in the control tower, ensuring that the backbone of our aviation system doesn’t buckle under political gridlock.