Bipartisan Effort to Secure Air Traffic Controller Salaries During Government Shutdowns

Wed Nov 19 2025 05:49:30 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a move towards bipartisan cooperation, lawmakers propose a new bill ensuring air traffic controllers are paid during government shutdowns, leveraging a dormant flight insurance fund.

As a response to the severe flight disruptions caused by recent government shutdowns, a bipartisan group of congressional representatives has introduced a bill aimed at ensuring air traffic controllers will be compensated during any future funding lapses. This legislation seeks to use a federal flight insurance fund established post-9/11 that currently holds $2.6 billion, targeting the protection of critical aviation services from shutdown impacts. The effort aims to prevent potential safety risks associated with operating without adequately compensated air traffic personnel.

Following the recent record-breaking government shutdown, which caused massive disruptions in air travel, a rare moment of bipartisan cooperation was witnessed in Washington. Congressional representatives from both parties have introduced a new bill aimed at ensuring that air traffic controllers will receive their salaries during any future government shutdowns.

The proposed legislation seeks to fund not only salaries but also the operating expenses of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) by drawing from a flight insurance fund established after the September 11 attacks. This fund holds approximately $2.6 billion and had been largely untouched since its creation. The lawmakers sponsoring the bill, including top members from both the Republican and Democratic parties on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, believe that utilizing this fund could make the bill more appealing compared to other funding proposals.

This bill guarantees that controllers, who have one of the most high-pressure jobs in the nation, will.get paid during any future funding lapses, stated GOP Rep. Sam Graves, the committee's chairman. This initiative aims to protect the safety of the traveling public, ensuring that air traffic control remains uninterrupted during government shutdowns.

The introduction of this bill comes as a Senate subcommittee is scheduled to examine the impacts of the recently concluded 43-day government shutdown on the aviation sector. However, the path forward remains uncertain. Similar proposals, including one put forth by U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, have previously failed to pass comprehensive approval, largely due to their reliance on the more extensively funded aviation trust fund, which is projected to carry a higher financial burden.

Despite ongoing discussions, legislative efforts to enhance the financial stability and operational security for air traffic controllers and other essential aviation personnel during government funding lapses are still fraught with challenges.