U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), the Senate Majority Whip, addressed the Senate on Wednesday, criticizing Senate Democrats for their role in the ongoing government shutdown, now in its fifteenth day. Barrasso claimed that Senate Democrats are blocking paychecks for federal employees, including air traffic controllers, TSA agents, Border Patrol agents, ICE agents, and FBI agents.
Barrasso stated, “Today is day fifteen of the Schumer Shutdown. Day fifteen of this dangerous game Democrats are playing. The Schumer Shutdown is putting lives at risk. It’s doing it each and every time an airplane takes off or lands. Thousands of air traffic controllers keep us safe. Right now, they are working – but they are not getting paid. Yesterday they received a partial paycheck. It was their final paycheck until Democrats end the Schumer Shutdown.”
He emphasized that other essential federal employees also received their last paychecks and are working without pay, adding, “These are people making life-or-death decisions. They should not be distracted by financial anxiety.”
According to Barrasso, a bank that serves military members and federal workers reported that 70,000 members have sought loans during the shutdown to meet their financial needs. He referenced a recent Wall Street Journal headline about furloughed federal workers taking on side jobs to cope with lost income.
Barrasso continued, “People with full-time government jobs are desperate for income because their regular paychecks are withheld by Democrats. These workers are struggling to make ends meet. They will not see another dime until Democrats end the Schumer Shutdown. These people need clear heads and clear minds to do their jobs. They should not have to worry about putting food on the table or keeping the lights on because the government is shut down.”
He cited a statement from an air traffic controller about the impact of financial stress on safety: “The financial anxiety doesn’t just hurt morale; it directly affects safety… Sometimes that small moment where your mind is elsewhere can have serious impacts.”
Barrasso detailed recent disruptions at airports, including a six-hour closure of the air traffic control tower in Burbank, California; hundreds of flight delays in Nashville due to a seven-hour tower closure; nearly 2,000 delayed flights in Charlotte since the start of the shutdown; and mounting staffing issues and delays at Atlanta’s airport.
He stated, “More than 53,000 flights have been delayed nationwide because of the Schumer Shutdown. Most air traffic controllers live paycheck to paycheck. Senate Democrats expect them to work for free.”
Barrasso criticized Democratic leadership for their approach to the shutdown, quoting a Democrat staff member cited by CNN: “This staff member said Democrats will not change course with their Schumer Shutdown Strategy until there are ‘planes falling out of the sky.’”
He concluded his remarks by saying, “Innocent people are collateral damage in this dangerous political game Democrats are playing. Democrats will have their ninth opportunity today to reopen the government. They will have their ninth opportunity to vote for a bipartisan, clean continuing resolution. A clean continuing resolution that they voted in favor of 13 times when Joe Biden was president. Democrats will have their ninth opportunity to pay the brave men and women who keep our skies clear, our borders secure, and our communities safe. Democrats have an obligation today to reopen the government. They need to do it before there are ‘planes falling from the sky.’”
