Sen. Moran Highlights Harmful Consequences of a Government Shutdown on U.S. Aviation System

Washington–Nine days into a federal government shutdown, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation and a senior member of the Appropriations Committee – spoke on the Senate floor about the harmful consequences of the shutdown on the U.S. aviation system.

“The failure to pass a continuing resolution is slowly crushing our aviation system,” said Sen. Moran. “Our system is too fragile, and the stakes are too high for us to continue operating the national aviation system in the manner we are doing so. We will reach a breaking point, and this could result in the closing of our airspace or portions of it.”

“We set out earlier this year, in a bipartisan manner, to transform our aviation system and to make it safer for everyone. But that work is significantly hindered without an open and functioning government,” continued Sen. Moran. “Every day we remain in a shutdown, the air traffic controller shortage gets worse and the strain on the aviation system intensifies. Our system has a breaking point, and I hope that this dysfunction we are undergoing, I hope it stops before we see dramatic and damaging consequences.”

“There are consequences to the position we’ve allowed ourselves to get in, and it affects the safety of Americans every day,” concluded Sen. Moran. “Having experienced the loss of life from the flight on January the 29th, from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C., we should be doing everything we can to make certain that our air traffic system and the necessary components are in place to make sure that the traveling public has a safe and secure flight when they board a plane in the United States…A shutdown makes absolutely no sense for the benefit of America. I urge my Democratic colleagues to act now to pass this short-term continuing resolution so we can alleviate the pressures on our aviation system, return to doing our jobs and appropriating government funding, and provide much-needed certainty and stability for our nation.”

In March 2025, Sen. Moran introduced the Aviation Funding Stability Act, which would allow the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to draw from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund to continue critical operations when appropriations lapse. He has repeatedly introduced this legislation in previous Congresses to provide certainty for the aviation industry during lapses in federal government funding. 

More information on the legislation can be found here.