Background on the Government Shutdown
As of Wednesday, the United States entered its 36th day of government shutdown, a record broken by President Donald Trump, who attributed it to “kamikaze” Democrats.
This shutdown surpasses the 2019 mark, occurring during Trump’s first period in the White House. The partial government paralysis stems from the failure of Congress to agree on a budget bill to fund federal departments and agencies beyond October 1, the start of the fiscal year.
Transportation Secretary’s Announcement
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that airlines will be requested to start canceling flights from Friday due to the lack of air traffic controllers, a consequence of the longest government shutdown in history.
“We are short 2,000 air traffic controllers,” Duffy explained during a press conference. “We need to reduce pressure, which means a 10% capacity reduction at 40 busiest airports in the country.”
Impact on Air Travel
Bryan Bedford, head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulatory agency, stated that the air travel system remains safe and will continue to be so. Should pressure increase, further measures will be taken.
“I don’t recall a reduction of this nature being ordered during my 35-year career in the aviation sector,” Bedford said. “Our controllers haven’t received their salaries for a month. We’re eager to return to normal operations.”
On average, the FAA supervises 44,000 flights daily, according to their website.
Government Shutdown Demands
The government has been partially paralyzed since Congress failed to pass a law keeping federal departments and agencies funded beyond October 1, the start of the fiscal year.
Republicans, holding narrow majorities in both chambers, want five Democratic senators to support their legislative resolution to maintain funding until the end of November while addressing underlying budget issues.
However, the Democratic Party remains united, demanding a halt to all healthcare reform proposals by the Republicans and a fresh discussion from scratch, effectively dismantling significant portions of a law Trump managed to pass less than six months ago.
Backchannel Negotiations
Despite leaders on both sides showing little interest in compromise, there have been signs of negotiation among moderates.
A bipartisan group of four centrist House members presented a compromise framework to reduce healthcare costs on Monday.
Democrats believe that millions of Americans facing rising premiums as they enroll in healthcare programs for the upcoming year will pressure Republicans to seek a compromise.
Trump demanded on Wednesday that Republicans use the “nuclear option” legislative tool: eliminating the 60-vote threshold in the Senate, known as filibustering, to bypass Democratic opposition.
“Republicans, abolish the filibuster! Get legislation and election reforms passed!” Trump urged on his Truth Social platform.
Double-Edged Sword of Ending Filibuster
Ending the filibuster is a double-edged sword. The 60-vote threshold in the Senate was established by Democrats in 2013 to prevent Republican obstructionism.
Should Congress remove it, Democrats might consider using it in the future for initiatives like granting statehood to Puerto Rico or Washington D.C.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the cause of the US government shutdown? The shutdown results from Congress’s failure to pass a budget bill to fund federal departments and agencies beyond October 1, the start of the fiscal year.
- Who is Sean Duffy, and what role does he play in this situation? Sean Duffy is the US Secretary of Transportation. He announced that airlines will start canceling flights from Friday due to the lack of air traffic controllers caused by the government shutdown.
- What is the impact on air travel? There will be a 10% capacity reduction at 40 of the busiest airports in the US, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
- What are the demands of each party during the shutdown? Republicans want Democrats to support their legislative resolution maintaining funding until the end of November while addressing underlying budget issues. Democrats demand a halt to all healthcare reform proposals and a fresh discussion from scratch.
- What are the signs of backchannel negotiations? A bipartisan group of centrist House members presented a compromise framework to reduce healthcare costs, indicating potential for negotiation.
- What is the “nuclear option” in legislative terms? The “nuclear option” refers to eliminating the 60-vote threshold in the Senate, known as filibustering, to bypass opposition.
