ICYMI: An Extreme Republican Shutdown Would Have Harmful Impacts Across the Country

With just days left until the end of the fiscal year, extreme House Republicans are marching our country toward a government shutdown that would have harmful impacts all across the country—from risking significant travel delays for travelers, to forcing more than one million active duty service members to work without pay.

Read more below:

Military Times: White House: Shutdown would harm military pay and national security
[Leo Shane III, 9/26/23]

In a statement criticizing "extreme House Republicans" for their public opposition to White House-backed funding plans, administration officials noted that the shutdown could mean delayed paychecks for 1.3 million active-duty troops, including more than 171,000 stationed overseas.

[…]

"Hundreds of thousands of their civilian colleagues in the Department of Defense would also be furloughed, affecting the ways in which the department manages its affairs globally, including the vital task of recruiting new members of the military," the White House statement said. "All of this would prove disruptive to our national security."

POLITICO: Government shutdown would put pay for over 1M military members at risk, Pentagon says
[Matt Berg, 9/26/23]

A government shutdown would harm military readiness and have "huge, profound impacts across the globe," Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said Tuesday morning.

[…]

"If the U.S. government shuts down, China, Russia, North Korea, Iran — these are countries that are not shutting down, that are continuing their operations," she said. "Any type of shutdown, any type of impact to our military and readiness, has huge, profound impacts across the globe."

An immediate impact could be having command costs and stations without enough personnel to continue missions, Singh said, also underscoring the struggles that military families with children and mortgages would face.

NPR: What a government shutdown would mean for the U.S. military — and national security
[Rachel Treisman, 9/27/23]

Service members will continue to report for duty, though they will not get paid during a shutdown. And many of the hundreds of thousands of civilians who work for the Department of Defense will likely be furloughed, says White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby.

[…]

Defense officials warned earlier this week that a shutdown would strategically "play into the hands of U.S. competitors" because it would cost time as well as money. Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh called it "the worst thing that could happen."

ABC News: Military Families Brace for Loss of Paycheck, Services Under a Government Shutdown
[Rachel Scott and Sarah Beth Hensley, 9/27/23]

For some military families, that may mean losing services they have come to rely on: everything from nutrition assistance to health care, mental health care, after-school activities for their kids, and even childcare centers.

Access to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, commonly known as WIC, is one element Pinchotti said will have a "huge impact" on many military families. Some 7 million women, infants and children rely on WIC.

"There are WIC offices on military installations all over the world because it is such a critical nutrition for families at a really key developmental part of their lives. So not having it will have a huge impact," she said. "We know that millions and millions -- more than half of American families have relied on WIC and for military families, it is also a huge number. So we're expecting that to be a serious problem."

The Hill: Here's how a government shutdown would affect the military
[Ellen Mitchell, 9/27/2023]

Troop paychecks and national security are under threat as Congress stands on the edge of a government shutdown, with no clear solution for getting a defense budget passed.

After House Republicans three times tried to advance their fiscal 2024 Pentagon spending bill — efforts tanked by opposition from the GOP's far-right members — lawmakers have only until Saturday at midnight to work out a fix.

But with efforts continuing to stall, that could mean hundreds of thousands of service members and civilian workers won't get paychecks starting this weekend, unless Congress passes emergency legislation to ensure America's military continue to get paid.

Roll Call: Military pay, typically exempted during shutdowns, is at risk
[Peter Cohn, 9/25/2023]

Why is this shutdown, if one occurs, not like the others in recent history? U.S. military servicemembers, who have to report for duty anyway because of the critical nature of their jobs, wouldn't get paid.

During the prolonged partial government shutdowns in late 1995-early 1996, 2013 and late 2018-early 2019 — the longest in modern history at 21, 16 and 34 days, respectively — active-duty military and reservists received their salaries during the funding lapses.

That's because the full-year Defense appropriations bill had already become law or, in the case of the October 2013 shutdown, Congress preemptively passed legislation guaranteeing military pay. With no enacted Defense bill even close, the only chance for military servicemembers to still get their paychecks if there's a shutdown is for lawmakers to go the 2013 route.

New York Times: Biden Administration Warns That Government Shutdown Could Disrupt Air Travel
[Mark Walker, 9/27/23]

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that a shutdown would jeopardize the work the administration has done to address a shortage in air traffic controllers, modernize aviation technology and reduce flight delays and cancellations that have plagued travelers.

"There is no good time for a government shutdown, but this is a particularly bad time for a government shutdown, especially when it comes to transportation," Mr. Buttigieg said at a news conference at the Transportation Department's headquarters. "The consequences would be disruptive and dangerous."

Washington Post: The FAA is facing a double government shutdown this weekend. Here's why.
[Ian Duncan and Lori Aratani, 9/27/23]

A deadline to renew the law underpinning the existence of the Federal Aviation Administration coincides with the one to extend federal funding this weekend, leaving the agency facing an especially broad double government shutdown.

[…]

No immediate effects are expected for flights or aviation safety, but the twin deadlines put the FAA in an especially precarious position as the shutdown looms. It would come toward the end of a bumpy year in which the agency lacked a full-time leader, grappled with a staffing shortage at a key New York facility and endured a technology failure that closed the nation's skies for the first time since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Politico: Buttigieg: Shutdown would furlough 1,000 air traffic controllers
[Alex Daugherty, 9/27/23]

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Wednesday that a looming government shutdown would mean 1,000 air traffic controllers undergoing on-the-job training at centers nationwide would be furloughed — a blow to the department's efforts to plug holes in the controller workforce.

"A shutdown would stop all of that progress. It would mean we have to immediately stop training air traffic controllers and furlough 1,000 controllers who are already in the training pipeline," Buttigieg said.

[…]

Buttigieg also said a shutdown lasting "a few days" would mean that DOT will be unable to meet its staffing and hiring targets for air traffic controllers next year. The agency plans to hire 1,800 controllers next year, up from 1,500 this year. Last week, Buttigieg said DOT has "2,600 air traffic controllers in the pipeline" a figure that also includes trainees at the FAA's academy in Oklahoma.

ABC: Buttigieg: Government shutdown would stop crucial air traffic controller training 'in our tracks'
[Amanda Maile, 9/20/23]

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said a government shutdown would come "at exactly the wrong moment" as the department works to address the ongoing air traffic controller shortage.

[…]

"We now have 2,600 air traffic controllers in training. A government shutdown would stop that training. Even a shutdown lasting a few weeks could set us back by months or more because of how complex that training is," Buttigieg said during a hearing in front of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Wednesday. "We cannot afford that kind of politically driven disruption at the very moment when we finally have those air traffic control workforce numbers headed in the right direction."

Business Insider: A government shutdown could make air travel even worse
[Juliana Kaplan, 9/27/23]

The impacts on air travel will be immediate, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg told Insider. Air traffic controllers and TSA officers would stop getting paid, an economic burden on the workers the country depends upon to keep airports running.

"These are folks who come to work in a stressful and important job that is demanding on the best of days and they're supposed to come into work worried about how to pay their bills now and support their families and still do a good job," Buttigieg said.

[…]

As of June, 77% of critical air traffic control facilities in the country were understaffed. While plenty of people want to be air traffic controllers, plugging shortage holes can come down to training. The role requires intensive training and comes with its own caveats: Applicants need to be below the age of 31, and workers have to retire by 56. In a shutdown, training gets shut down too.

The DOT has been making strides in curbing travel nightmares: Throughout 2023, air travel cancellations have stayed below 2%, according to the Air Travel Consumer Report — a far cry from the 2.7% cancellation rate in 2022. But that progress would be jeopardized in a shutdown, according to Buttigieg.

"That's happened because of the pressure we put on airlines and the work we're doing to grow our air traffic control workforce," Buttigieg said. "I cannot guarantee we can keep up those results if we are stopped from growing the workforce."

Reuters: US government shutdown could add misery to air travel
[David Shepardson, 9/27/23]

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg warned on Wednesday that a partial government shutdown could disrupt air travel and said the government would need to furlough 1,000 air traffic controllers in training.

If Congress does not fund government operations before Saturday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) estimates it would have to furlough more than 17,000 employees and halt the training.

"Especially when it comes to transportation, the consequences would be disruptive and dangerous," Buttigieg said at a press conference.

Past federal government shutdowns caused "significant delays and longer wait times for travelers", the White House said.

The U.S. Travel Association said a partial shutdown would cost the U.S. travel economy as much as $140 million a day.

During a government shutdown, the U.S. air travel system would be "hampered by more flight delays, longer screening lines and setbacks in air travel modernization," the group said.

The Hill: White House warns Americans could face travel delays if government isn't funded
[Alex Gangitano, 9/27/23]

The Biden administration says that a shutdown would mean more than 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 transportation security officers wouldn't be paid. It noted in its latest memo to highlight the impacts of a government shutdown that those personnel are deemed essential so would go to work but receive no pay, which has led to issues for air travelers in the past.

They "would have to show up to do their critical jobs without getting paid until funding becomes available. In previous shutdowns, this led to significant delays and longer wait times for travelers at airports across the country," the memo read.

The Virginian-Pilot: Looming government shutdown threatens military pay and defense work in Hampton Roads
[Caitlyn Burchett, 9/24/2023]

Hundreds of thousands of defense workers could be furloughed and military members could go unpaid beginning Oct. 1 if lawmakers run out the clock to pass funding for the new fiscal year.

[…]

But hundreds of thousands of nonessential civilian workers could be furloughed indefinitely or have to work without pay in the interim.

About 79% or 638,000 of 804,000 civilian defense employees rely on congressional funding, according to the Pentagon. Almost 200,000 would have to keep working without pay because they're considered "necessary to protect life and property."

NC Newsline: Active-duty military would work without pay in shutdown, White House warns
[Ashley Murray, 9/27/2023]

The White House is warning that a partial government shutdown would mean 1.3 million active-duty armed services members must keep working without receiving paychecks and hundreds of thousands of Pentagon employees would face furloughs.

The Biden administration on Tuesday blasted what it's now calling an "Extreme Republican Shutdown," saying it would undermine national security.

According to September 2022 figures, numerous states are home to large numbers of troops who would work without pay until after the shutdown, including Virginia with 129,400; North Carolina with 95,900; Florida with 66,900; Georgia with 63,800; and Washington with 62,100.

Augusta Chronicle: Pay, services may be altered for Georgia military bases if federal government shuts down
[Abraham Kenmore, 9/28/2023]

With the threat of a looming government shutdown, many federal employees could be furloughed, or may have to report for work without pay — including military service members.

Georgia has the fifth highest number of Department of Defense employees in the country, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, with at least eight military installations across the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines. Even if a government shutdown does occur, however, military bases will carry on with their essential duties.

AL.com: Thousands of Alabama military, civilian workers face no pay if government shuts down
[Jamarean Heard, 9/28/2023]

A government shutdown would impact Alabama residents in many ways -- even those who don't directly work for federal agencies.

Congressional Democrats and Republicans currently are battling over the shape of the federal budget. They need to reach a deal by Sept. 30 to avoid a shutdown. In previous shutdowns, active-duty military servicemembers and reservists have received pay, but this time, pay is at risk because the Department of Defense's budget is also up in the air.

In Alabama, 38,017 active duty and reserve personnel would need to work without pay if there is a shutdown, according to information shared in a recent House committee minority report.

[…]

Each organization at Huntsville's Redstone Arsenal is putting the finishing touches on its own mission-specific backup plan in case of a shutdown, according to a spokeswoman for the Army. The Arsenal has about 800 military members assigned and approximately 29,500 civilians and 15,350 contractors working across multiple agencies and departments.

Alaska Public Media: U.S. military pay in question, including thousands in Alaska, as government shutdown approaches
[James Brooks/Alaska Beacon, 9/27/2023]

The three members of Alaska's congressional delegation are trying to ensure that members of the U.S. military, civilian Department of Defense workers and military contractors remain paid during a partial federal government shutdown that could begin as soon as Sunday.

In separate statements, Republican Sens. Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski, and Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola said they support stopgap legislation to preserve military pay.

According to figures provided by the White House, Alaska is home to 20,200 active-duty members of the military, plus thousands more civilians who work for the Department of Defense either directly or as contractors.

Texas Tribune: Texans in U.S. House describe GOP in chaos ahead of likely government shutdown
[Kevin Vu, 9/23/2023]

With a possible shutdown of the federal government on the horizon, various members of the Texas Congressional delegation at The Texas Tribune Festival Saturday described a House in crisis, voicing their concerns and frustrations with Republican infighting that has brought attempts to approve annual spending bills to a standstill.

[…]

A government shutdown could affect more than 100,000 federal employees and 110,000 active duty military members in Texas, according to data kept by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and the Department of Defense.

ABC 57: Transportation, economy, public health--Pete Buttigieg weighs in on how a government shutdown can affect Americans
[Camille Sarabia 9/27/23]

A government shutdown is something no one wants. Indiana Governot Holcomb including.

"This is avoidable, if the cooler heads prevail," he said, according to Indiana Public Media. Over 22,000 Indiana federal employees can lose their pay during the shutdown.

[…]

Federal workers' pay. Millions of Americans could see their paychecks drying up, including the U.S. Military, Border Patrol, TSA and more. Essential workers will remain on the job, but will not be getting paid. Non-essentials would be furloughed. For Americans living paycheck to paycheck this won't do. During the 35-day funding lapse in 2018-2019, U.S. citizens missed payments, pulled their children from daycare and couldn't afford gas for cars, according to CNN.

Transportation. Travel delays and longer wait times at airports will be impacted. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg says a government shutdown would disrupt the progress we've made in transportation.

"Look at aviation, where we've made enormous progress after the COVID drives disruptions," he told CNN This Morning. "We saw a year ago, cancellations are back down to normal after everything we went through last summer."

WKOW: Government shutdown looms as deadline approaches; Pete Buttigieg says it can and should be avoided
[Danielle Fair, 9/27/23]

"I think it's avoidable, and I think it's unacceptable," said U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. "We do not need a shutdown and also avoidable are the budget cuts that some House Republicans are demanding as their price for not forcing us into a shutdown."

Buttigieg emphasized House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and House Republicans needed to follow through on their agreement with President Biden to keep the government financially responsible. The deal was reached in May, raising the debt ceiling through January 2025.

If government operations were to stop, it would prompt furloughs among federal employees and pauses in federal supplemental programs for low-income families. Active duty military personnel could also expect to go without pay.

"Think about everything we ask of our soldiers, airmen, our Marines and sailors. And the idea that they're not getting a paycheck makes absolutely no sense," said Buttigieg.

Fox 31: Travel plans? Government shutdown could affect flights, national parks
[Shaul Turner, 9/27/23]

A new AAA Colorado study reveals at least 60% of Colorado residents plan on traveling between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, and 70% say they'll travel for the Christmas holiday.

[…]

Katy Nastro of Going.com recommends being flexible with dates and times in the event of a government shutdown.

"That could have ripple effects that could affect travelers in the form of those longer security lines," Nastro said.

Homeland Security Today: Shutdown Could Risk Delays for Travelers and Force Air Traffic Controllers and TSA Officers to Work Without Getting Paid
[Homeland Security Today, 9/27/23]

A White House statement warns that during an increasingly likely shutdown, more than 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Officers—in addition to thousands of other Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel—would have to show up to do their critical jobs without getting paid until funding becomes available.

[…]

"House Republicans have turned their backs on the bipartisan budget deal that two-third of them voted for just a few months ago and instead proposed a continuing resolution (CR) that proposes devastating cuts to programs that millions of hardworking Americans count on—including rail safety inspections and the Transportation Security Administration," the statement says. "Their extreme CR also fails to provide the urgent funding President Biden requested to avoid disruptions to FAA air traffic operations."

Daily Herald: 'I'm preparing for absolutely the worst': How a government shutdown could impact Illinois
[Marni Pyke, 9/27/23]

There's also a personal and economic toll on more than 42,000 Illinoisans, mostly from Chicago and the suburbs, who are federal employees. If no agreement is reached by midnight Saturday, many would be furloughed or required to stay on the job without drawing a pay check in either case.

"I'm guardedly hoping that something great is going to happen. I'm preparing for absolutely the worst," said Chicagoan Nicole Cantello, an American Federation of Government Employees official who worked as an EPA attorney.

North Jersey: If the federal government shuts down, what happens to us in New Jersey?
[Daniel Munoz, 9/27/23]

But Dan Cassino, a political science professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University, said the effect on New Jersey during the 2018-2019 shutdown was somewhat muted.

"In other states, if we're having this conversation, in Delaware, Maryland, it's a huge drain on the economy, because you have all the federal workers out of work," Cassino said in an interview.

According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, nearly 25,000 federal employees are based in New Jersey, representing just 1.32% of the state's workforce. For comparison, federal workers represent 7.56% of the workforce in Washington, D.C., and 8.15% of California's workforce.

The Press Democrat: What a government shutdown could mean for Sonoma County
[Susan Wood, 9/27/23]

If you're planning on traveling to one of California's national parks, traveling by air, needing disaster relief funds or just counting on the federal government, your plans could be affected by a national government shutdown.

[…]

Jon Stout, airport manager at Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport, said in a statement that "at this time, we anticipate minimal impacts as both tower and TSA screening are both considered essential operations." The main impact would be going without pay, he added.

For disaster prone regions like the Wine Country where wildfires are a part of life, relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency may be harder to come by if FEMA runs out of funds for disaster relief and long-term recovery projects

Texas Tribune: How the looming government shutdown will affect Texans
[Matthew Choi, 9/27/23]

Over 100,000 active duty service members in Texas could go without a paycheck. Even more civilians working for federal agencies in the state could be furloughed or have to work without pay. Food subsidies for low-income women, infants and children could dry up. Airport security lines could get longer. FEMA payments to state and local governments could be late.

A federal shutdown, precipitated by an ideological battle in Congress, would put thousands of Texans in financial precarity. Congress is continuing to debate a path forward to keep the government funded, but with less than a week left until the end of the fiscal year on Oct. 1, a shutdown appears imminent.

Bisnow: Looming Government Shutdown Would Halt Infrastructure Projects, Cause Airport Delays
[Ryan Wangman, 9/27/23]

As hopes for a resolution fade, the impacts of a shutdown on infrastructure would have a larger reach than people might expect, American Society of Civil Engineers President Maria Lehman told Construction Dive. With many current projects made up of complex project funding, even builds that aren't completely federally funded would face delays.

"Most projects these days have lots of different funding sources, they maybe have local and state and federal, maybe a private component, maybe an authority," Lehman told Construction Dive. "So [a shutdown has] a much bigger impact than it might have been in the past as far as the number of projects potentially that could get hit."

[…]

In addition, federal agencies wouldn't be able to give new guidance on how funds should be used, and the Department of Transportation and other key federal agencies responsible for infrastructure wouldn't be fully operational, Lehman told the outlet. This means most new federal projects wouldn't get started and the government would suspend awards and put current projects on hold.

Any potential shutdown could be a blow to the Biden administration's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which has rolled out financing for a slew of projects, including $7.5B for water infrastructure and $1.4B toward 70 rail and supply chain infrastructure projects.

ABC 7 Chicago: Chicago air travel, Illinois federal programs to be impacted by government shutdown
[Mark Rivera, 9/27/23]

A government shutdown may impact flights from Chicago airports and payment for government employees, including sailors serving at Naval Station Great Lakes.

[…]

Those who are set to travel in October may want to prepare for possible delays at Midway and O'Hare airports. While federal air traffic controllers and transportation security agents will still be required to show up to work without pay during a government shutdown, history shows that sometimes they do not come to work.
"A lot of concern here," said DePaul University Travel Expert Dr. Joe Schwieterman. "Air traffic controllers are feeling overworked in many cases. This could make things worse."

[…]

"Those flights are packed," Dr. Schwieterman said. "And so when we have delays, we tend to have these ripple effects that just cascade because there's no place to put the passengers if they miss their connections. And so you add some TSA and flight control uncertainty in this, and the airlines are gonna be in a really tough spot."

WMUR 9: Government shutdown could affect thousands of federal workers in New Hampshire
[Hannah Cotter, 9/27/23]

Congress has until midnight Saturday to avoid a government shutdown, which could leave thousands of federal workers in New Hampshire without a paycheck.

[…]

"That gets you past a mortgage payment, past your monthly expenses and creates enormous stress, not only on federal workers and their families, but frankly, on our whole economy," said U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster, D-New Hampshire.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: What a federal government shutdown could mean for air travel
[Kelly Yamanouchi, 9/27/23]

In need of money to pay rent and bills, the last shutdown caused hardship for federal workers who weren't being paid. They waited in cars lined up through a parking lot near a TSA office and down the block for free food from the Atlanta Community Food Bank, including vegetables and frozen chicken. Some were in their uniforms as they waited in their cars for the food. Others had children or family members with them.

[…]

If new funding isn't approved before the government reaches the end of its fiscal year — this Saturday — a shutdown would hit as the Atlanta airport struggles with already-long security waits and numerous construction projects that have frustrated travelers.

This month, heavy travel volume is causing checkpoint wait times have already reached more than half an hour even during non-peak times, and even longer during busier periods, with lines stretching through the terminal and winding through baggage claim.

[…]

The U.S. Travel Association said last week that a survey it commissioned found that 60% of Americans said they would cancel or avoid trips by air in the event of a shutdown. All told, it would cost the travel economy $140 million per day, according to the group.

Thrillist: Pete Buttigieg Details What a Government Shutdown Will Mean for Travelers
[Opheli Garcia Lawler, 9/27/23]

Right now, an uncontrollable travel catastrophe is looming over all of our heads. Come October 1, the gears of the federal government could very possibly grind to a screeching halt. While the Senate has approved a spending deal, Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is being pushed by a slew of hard-right House Republicans to reject proposals that would avoid a government shutdown. If Congress fails to pass some sort of funding legislation before the October 1 deadline, a large portion (anything classified as "non-essential") of the federal government will stop operating and workers will be furloughed.

In a Wednesday interview, Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told Thrillist that the shutdown is "basically a hostage tactic in order for House Republicans to try to get through severe cuts that they have proposed."

NBC San Diego: Potential government shutdown will likely cause delays, headaches at San Diego Airport
[Jeanette Quezada, 9/27/23]

As the possibility of a government shutdown looms, thousands of federal jobs and numerous services we rely on, like the airline industry, could be impacted.

[…]

"We're talking about people being afraid of whether they're going to be able to pay their mortgages," Robert Mack with the American Federation of Government Employees said.

[…]

"You have a single parent of three worrying about what they're going to do when they can't pay their bills because I-owe-yous don't work. A check is a check," Mack said.

The Oklahoman: How a government shutdown would impact thousands in Oklahoma
[Chris Casteel, 9/27/23]

Thousands of federal workers in Oklahoma could be furloughed if Congress does not approve legislation to keep the government operating past Saturday, though Social Security recipients and veterans would continue to receive their benefits.
If the shutdown persists, civilian workers and soldiers will miss paychecks, including 21,000 active-duty military troops at the state's four major bases and ammunition plant.

[…]

If the government shuts down next week, Social Security checks still will go out, and veterans pensions and other benefits won't be curtailed, but many federal offices, parks and museums could close.

Nerd Wallet: How a Government Shutdown Could Affect Travel
[Meghan Coyle, 9/27/23]

The U.S. Travel Association warns a shutdown could come with "dire consequences," costing the industry an estimated $140 million per day.
Some of the aviation industry's most essential workers — air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers — would be required to work without pay. Past shutdowns have led to more federal employee absences, longer security lines and more flight delays.

"The federal government is already failing the traveler," U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman said in a statement. "A shutdown would be further proof of Washington's inability to find reasonable solutions to problems that affect Americans nationwide."

[…]

A government shutdown could also have more long-term ramifications for air travel. For example, training new controllers, which takes up to three years, is crucial to closing that staffing gap and getting air travel fully back on track.
"If there is a government shutdown, that is going to disrupt that process, and the disruption is profound," Acting FAA Administrator Polly Trottenberg told reporters on Sept. 13. "If we shut down for a couple of weeks, it takes a lot more than a couple weeks to recover."

Austin American-Statesman: Could a partial government shutdown impact Texas airports? Here's what to expect
[Chase Rogers, 9/27/23]

Any impacts may not be apparent on the surface, as Austin airport officials project there will be no substantial changes for passengers flying in or out of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. While some federal agencies temporarily shutter during shutdowns, the majority of federal aviation officials — those with the Transportation Security Administration, Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection — fall under "essential services," meaning their employees will continue working, without pay, despite a shutdown.

"AUS does not anticipate significant changes for travelers due to the federal government shutdown. Employees that work in federal roles that are critical to operating the airport are expected to report for duty," Sam Haynes, an airport spokesperson, told the Statesman in a written statement Tuesday.

Federal Times: Buttigieg says shutdown could decimate hiring of air traffic controllers
[Molly Weisner, 9/27/23]

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said a government shutdown would upend hiring and training for potentially thousands of air traffic controllers and other key department employees who work on operations and develop safety procedures.

[…]

"I just want to identify with the millions of Americans who are looking at what's happening in Washington right now in disbelief," he said. "Funding the U.S. government is a basic responsibility of Congress. It is not normal that in the most powerful country in the world, fringe congressional Republicans from time to time are able to put the entire country at risk of simply shutting down the government."
For air traffic control, the agency has been about about 3,000 positions short. Buttigieg said a lapse in appropriations would stop training of new hires and risk furloughing 1,000 individuals who are already in the training pipeline.

"Our air traffic controllers and safety personnel are going to keep going in and doing their job to the extent that they're allowed to in the context of a shutdown," he said. "But they're doing it under added stress."