Speaker Mike Johnson issued an urgent call Monday for House members to return to Washington immediately, citing a rapidly deteriorating air travel situation that has seen nearly half of all domestic flights canceled or delayed as the government shutdown enters its sixth week.
The Louisiana Republican addressed reporters with a stark assessment of conditions at the nation’s airports, where the absence of paychecks for essential federal workers has created a cascading crisis in aviation safety and operations.
“As of Sunday, nearly half of all domestic flights and United States flights were either canceled or delayed, and it is a very serious situation,” Johnson stated. “I am saying that, by way of reminder, I am stating the obvious to all my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats in the House. You need to begin right now returning to the Hill. We have to do this as quickly as possible.”
The Speaker’s comments followed a breakthrough in the Senate late Sunday evening, where eight Democrats crossed party lines to join Republicans in advancing a bipartisan measure to reopen the government after 41 days of closure. That procedural vote overcame a filibuster that had stalled progress for weeks, clearing the path for final passage and sending the matter to the House for consideration.
The Federal Aviation Administration has announced plans to reduce air travel at the nation’s 40 busiest airports by 6 percent beginning Tuesday. This unprecedented reduction stems from severe staffing shortages directly attributed to the prolonged shutdown, which has left thousands of air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers working without compensation.
Johnson explained the mechanics of the crisis with characteristic directness. “The problem we have with air travel is that our air traffic controllers are overworked and unpaid, and many of them have called in sick. That is a very stressful job, and even more stressful, exponentially, when they are having trouble providing for their families. Air travel has been grinding to a halt in many places.”
The shutdown has forced thousands of federal employees into an untenable position. Those deemed essential to public safety have reported to work for weeks without paychecks, while others have been furloughed entirely as agencies exhaust their available funds. Many air traffic controllers and TSA officers have sought secondary employment to meet basic household expenses, while others have used sick leave to pursue temporary income elsewhere.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy cautioned that even after the government reopens, the aviation system will require days, possibly a full week, to return to normal operations. The disruption has created a backlog effect that cannot be immediately resolved once funding resumes.
The Senate vote represented a significant fracture in Democratic unity, with eight senators breaking ranks with party leadership to advance the funding measure. This development came after weeks of failed negotiations and mounting public pressure as the shutdown’s effects rippled through multiple sectors of American life.
Johnson’s statement made clear that time remains of the essence, with the Speaker emphasizing the bipartisan nature of the responsibility now before the House. The measure awaiting consideration would restore funding to shuttered agencies and resume paychecks for federal workers, though the exact timeline for House action remains uncertain as members make travel arrangements to return to the capital.
Related: Oklahoma Senator Warns Extended Government Shutdown Threatens National Security
