Dem lawmaker sides with Trump officers as FAA slashes flights at 40 airports

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A Democratic lawmaker is backing the Trump administration’s determination to cut back air visitors as a consequence of the continued government shutdown .

Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., mentioned, "Security should at all times be the best precedence" for the aviation business in an announcement on Thursday night.

"The choice by Secretary Duffy to cut back flights at America’s 40 busiest airports is the proper name for the security of the flying public," Stanton wrote on X. "Now it’s crucial that Republicans and Democrats get collectively and attain a bipartisan settlement on a plan to cut back well being prices and finish the shutdown."

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Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton mentioned the Trump administration's lower in air visitors was the "proper name." (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP by way of Getty Photographs; Invoice Clark/CQ-Roll Name, Inc by way of Getty Photographs )

He concluded, "Arizona deserves higher, and so do the hardworking professionals who maintain our skies secure."

Friday marks the thirty eighth day of the federal government shutdown. Bipartisan Senate efforts to finish the standoff have nonetheless not produced a transparent off-ramp.

Hundreds of federal workers have been furloughed as companies and demanding applications run low on funds, whereas authorities employees deemed "important" have been compelled to work with out pay for weeks.

Individuals within the latter group embody air visitors controllers and Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) officers, a lot of whom have been compelled to take second jobs and name out sick to make ends meet.

Vacationers have a look at the flight data show system at Los Angeles Worldwide Airport in Los Angeles, Calif., Nov. 3, 2025. (Juliana Yamada/Los Angeles Instances by way of Getty Photographs)

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) directed a 4% discount in air visitors throughout 40 of the busiest airports within the U.S., taking impact on Friday.

That discount will progressively ramp as much as 10% by Nov. 14 if the shutdown doesn't finish by then.

An emergency order issued by the FAA mentioned the discount would make sure the Nationwide Airspace System might "preserve the best requirements of security" amid shortages fueled by the shutdown.

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That features Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport, the most important airport serving Stanton’s district.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks alongside Rep. Tom Emmer and Home Speaker Mike Johnson throughout a press convention on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Oct. 23, 2025. (Eric Lee/Getty Photographs)

Stanton’s close by 4th Congressional District encompasses components of Phoenix and its surrounding suburbs , together with parts of Tempe and Mesa.

Again in Washington, whose two primary airports are additionally affected by the discount order, Democratic leaders are nonetheless publicly insisting that any funding deal be paired with an extension of COVID-19-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies which might be set to run out on the finish of this 12 months.

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Republicans have argued towards partisan coverage riders in a funding invoice to finish the shutdown.

Stanton was among the many Home Democrats who voted towards the GOP’s funding proposal when it handed the Home on Sept. 19.

Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox Information Digital main protection of the Home of Representatives. Earlier digital bylines seen at Each day Mail and CBS Information.