Senate Moves to End Shutdown as Air Traffic Control Faces Crisis

The United States Senate is taking significant steps to resolve the ongoing government shutdown, which has led to severe staffing issues in air traffic control. This weekend marked the worst for air traffic controller staffing since the shutdown began, with a staggering 146 staffing “triggers” reported from Friday morning to Sunday night. According to a CNN analysis of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operations plans, these triggers indicate that air traffic controllers had to modify operations to maintain safety with reduced personnel.

On Friday, there were 32 staffing problems reported, followed by 63 on Saturday and 51 on Sunday. Since the shutdown started, there have been a total of 596 reports of short staffing, an alarming figure that is more than six times the number reported on similar dates last year. The previous record for a weekend staffing crisis occurred during Halloween, with 98 triggers noted, 46 of which were reported on October 31 alone.

Senate Funding Deal on the Horizon

In a pivotal move, a bloc of eight Senate Democratic centrists advanced a funding deal aimed at reopening the government. This agreement is linked to a future vote on extending enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies and could potentially put an end to the longest shutdown in U.S. history within days. While the deal still requires approval from the full Senate and the House, it proposes a stopgap measure to extend government funding until January and is associated with a larger package that would fully finance several essential government agencies.

Notably, this agreement does not include any commitment from Republican lawmakers to extend the health care subsidies central to the funding debate. If successful, this could alleviate the travel disruptions experienced by thousands of air travelers over the weekend. During the shutdown, air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners have been required to work without pay, resulting in increased financial strain and a growing number of workers calling in sick. This situation has placed additional pressure on already stretched agencies, leading to delays for travelers.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy expressed concerns that air travel might be “reduced to a trickle” as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, signaling potential chaos for holiday travelers.

Impact on Food Assistance and Other Services

The repercussions of the shutdown extend beyond aviation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has mandated that states cease issuing full food stamp benefits for November. This directive follows a Supreme Court justice’s decision to pause a lower court order that required the USDA to provide full assistance to Americans. As a result, states have been instructed to issue partial benefits, which will deliver only 65% of the maximum allotments for the month, reverting to an earlier ruling by the same judge.

As the situation unfolds, updates will continue to emerge from Washington D.C., addressing both the impacts of the shutdown on government services and the various legislative efforts aimed at restoring normalcy.