Congress Pushes Bill to Pay Air Traffic Controllers Amid Shutdown Chaos — But Will It Solve the Root Problem?

As the recent government shutdown dragged on for 43 days, American travelers experienced unprecedented flight delays and cancellations, exposing a critical flaw in how Washington treats essential national services. In response, a rare bipartisan coalition introduced legislation Tuesday aimed at ensuring that air traffic controllers receive paychecks even when Congress fails to keep the government running. Can Washington Fix Aviation Safety Without Addressing Political Dysfunction? The bill proposes funding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) salaries and operations by tapping into a little-used post-9/11 flight insurance fund containing $2.6 billion—money originally set aside for extraordinary claims, such as when airlines’ planes are...