Over 9,000 flights have already been canceled or delayed due to a shortage of air traffic controllers across the country
Democrats have said they will not agree to end the US government shutdown unless Republicans meet their demands, with one senior aide telling CNN it would take an airline catastrophe for the party to back down.
The federal government shut down on October 1 after Republicans and Democrats failed to agree on a spending bill in the Senate. The impasse has left hundreds of thousands of federal employees furloughed or working without pay as the standoff enters its second week.
The shutdown has also disrupted air travel across the country. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data, more than 9,000 flights have been delayed or canceled amid a shortage of air traffic controllers.
Air traffic controllers are classified as essential workers and must continue working without pay, which has led to widespread absences and temporary closures at several major airports.
Nevertheless, Democratic leaders have told CNN they will hold their position until Republicans agree to extend Affordable Care Act healthcare subsidies. One anonymous senior Democratic aide told the outlet that as long as public perception remains in their favor, the party “will not concede short of planes falling out of the sky” – a remark that has drawn widespread criticism.
Republican Speaker Mike Johnson has also condemned Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for reportedly saying that “every day of the shutdown makes it better for us,” accusing the Democrat of forcing Americans to suffer for political gain.
Schumer has accused the Republicans of “risking America’s healthcare” and refusing to negotiate in good faith.
READ MORE: US govt shutdown triggers air traffic chaos
Over the past two weeks, both parties have repeatedly rejected each other’s funding proposals, with no sign of compromise. Republicans have vowed to bring their bill to a vote every day until the Democrats yield to pressure.
The last government shutdown took place in 2018 during President Donald Trump’s first term and lasted 35 days, the longest in US history.
