Vance Urges Bipartisan Support to Reopen Government Amidst Shutdown
Vice President J.D. Vance is appealing to five “sensible Democrats” to join Republicans in support of reopening the government. This comes as the ongoing shutdown has negatively impacted the airline industry and travel sector.
“Ending this madness is crucial. We need to pay air traffic controllers, TSA staff, and pilots, and ensure that food stamp benefits continue for those who rely on them,” Vance stated during a conversation at the White House. “Only five reasonable Democrats are needed to align with three moderate Democrats and 52 Republicans to move forward.”
On Thursday, Vance convened a roundtable discussion at the White House, which included Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Airlines for America CEO Chris Sununu, Teamsters Chief Executive Sean O’Brien, and other industry leaders. This meeting highlighted ongoing staffing challenges, particularly for air traffic controllers, who missed receiving their full salary this week.
The government shutdown began on October 1 due to a lack of agreement on a funding package, with Republicans attributing blame to Democrats for trying to include health care benefits for undocumented immigrants in the bill. In contrast, Democrats argue that Republicans have not engaged in meaningful negotiations regarding health care.
Currently, only two Senate Democrats—Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania—along with independent Angus King of Maine, have voted for reopening the government, alongside 52 Republicans. The bill requires 60 votes to pass.
“I realize I may have generalized, so I want to clarify that when I mention Democrats, I’m really referring to the far-left faction,” Vance mentioned. He acknowledged that three moderate Democrats had joined 52 Republicans to support the bill. “We need just a few more reasonable Democrats to put the American people’s needs first.”
Duffy and Vance characterized the situation as one where families are suffering from missed paychecks, federal food benefits are dwindling, and air travel is in jeopardy, especially with the holiday season approaching.
“I’d gladly discuss any policy issues, but not under these circumstances,” Vance emphasized. “This is no way to negotiate; this isn’t right.”
He further criticized holding the government hostage to achieve demands, stating that the notion of using air traffic controllers as leverage is absurd. “Let’s get the government running again, then we can discuss policies that benefit everyone,” he advocated.
Duffy added, “While missing one paycheck is tough for many, two paychecks… that’s a different story. If the Democrats cannot align quickly, we will face significant issues.”
The shutdown has already been causing delays at airports, including in major cities like Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and Newark, due to staffing shortages among FAA air traffic controllers.
In response to the ongoing shutdown, unions and trade groups from the aviation sector are increasingly urging lawmakers to pass a clean continuing resolution. Brett Oestreich, National President of the Aircraft Maintenance Fraternal Association, called on Congress to resolve the issue, representing around 4,400 aircraft maintenance technicians across various airlines.
