Here’s what Republicans had to say.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Top Republican leaders are warning that America’s air travel system is on the brink of meltdown — and they say Democrats are the ones holding the nation hostage.
At a fiery press conference Tuesday, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) slammed Democrats for refusing to end the Biden administration’s government shutdown, warning that their political games are about to bring massive flight delays and cancellations just as millions of Americans prepare to travel.
“Airports will be flooded with delays and cancellations during the busiest travel season of the year,” Emmer said alongside Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), and House Rules Chair Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.).
McClain made a passionate appeal on behalf of working Americans, criticizing Democrats for their stance. “TSA officers and air traffic controllers are still doing their jobs without pay, and Democrats seem proud to stand firm until disaster strikes. Is that really what they call leadership?” she said.
Shutdown Fallout: Flights Delayed, Controllers Unpaid
The Department of Transportation (DOT) has furloughed more than 11,000 FAA employees, roughly a quarter of its workforce. Another 13,000 air traffic controllers are currently working without pay, keeping the skies safe despite Washington’s dysfunction.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy admitted that the share of delays caused by controller shortages has skyrocketed from just 5% to over 50% since the shutdown began.
“We need the best and the brightest, but if some aren’t dedicated to the job, we’ll let them go,” Duffy said on Fox Business’s Varney & Co., adding that controller call-outs are spiking nationwide.
Nationwide Airport Mayhem
Airports across the nation—from Los Angeles to Atlanta—are struggling with severe staffing shortages. Data from FlightAware shows that nearly 3,000 flights to, from, or within the U.S. have experienced delays this week, while more than 120 have been canceled altogether.
Travelers report hours-long waits, missed connections, and canceled flights — all while the Biden administration remains silent.
Republicans: “End the Games and Reopen America”
Republicans say the chaos is déjà vu from 2019, when another Democrat-backed shutdown led to mass flight disruptions along the East Coast. But this time, they say, the stakes are even higher.
“The American people deserve leadership, not political theater,” McClain said. “Democrats are playing games with the skies — and every traveler is paying the price.”
With millions of Americans preparing for holiday travel, Republicans are calling on President Trump’s successor to “do the right thing” and end the shutdown immediately before it spirals into a full-blown transportation crisis.