At this time, Congress remains knee-deep in a struggle to agree on federal spending. Republicans and Democrats alike have to come up with a consensus that’s popular enough to get the necessary voters.
If this doesn’t happen (which is looking more and more likely), then it’s only a matter of time before the federal government shuts down. When government shutdowns happen, federal workers don’t get paid, a situation that would only add stress to an already strained economy.
As Republicans and Democrats point fingers at one another to blame for a possible shutdown, there’s another factor at play here that would adversely impact millions of Americans.
Air travel gridlock to come
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated this weekend that if the government shuts down, air travel will suffer subsequently.
According to Buttigieg, this would interfere with employee training for air traffic control, an area that’s desperately in need of more workers. The Transportation Secretary also stressed that air traffic control personnel who are already working will face added strain if they end up having to work without compensation.
