The U.S. budget dispute caused massive air traffic disruptions over the weekend. Due to a significant shortage of air traffic controllers, around 1,500 flights were canceled on Saturday alone and another 6,000 were delayed. The Senate now plans to make a new attempt to end the shutdown in an unusual Sunday meeting. The FAA had already ordered airlines on Friday to cancel four percent of daily flights at 40 major airports. These cuts are set to increase to six percent on Tuesday and to ten percent on November 14. Behind the scenes, airline representatives expressed alarm, explaining that the numerous measures to control air traffic made reliable flight planning nearly impossible. At Atlanta Airport, one of the busiest in the world, the average delay on Saturday was 282 minutes.
Reports of positive progress in the budget dispute
On Saturday, after 39 days of a partial government shutdown, no solution had been reached. Now a rare special session is being called, but before that, reports indicate there has been positive movement in the talks. Agreements are being worked on to temporarily reopen the government. In addition, three long-term funding bills for certain agencies will be approved, said Republican Senate Majority Whip John Thune, following bipartisan discussions. According to the plans, senators must decide on short-term bridge funding. This would ensure government operations until the end of January and give lawmakers more time to agree on the remaining nine budget bills, said Republican Senator John Hoeven. Furthermore, three legislative packages are intended to secure funds for agriculture, food programs, military construction projects, veterans’ programs, and the operation of Congress until September 30, 2026. Thune expressed hope for a vote on Saturday but left the timetable open.
Healthcare remains the main sticking point
The main sticking point continues to be healthcare. Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer accused President Donald Trump’s administration of withholding funds for the SNAP food assistance program and deliberately slowing air traffic at certain airports for political reasons. Republicans had rejected on Friday the Democrats’ proposal for a one-year extension of the expiring health insurance subsidies. These subsidies, part of the ACA health reform known as “Obamacare,” are used by 24 million people. To end the shutdown, the approval of at least eight Democrats in the Senate is required.
Trump lashes out at “greedy insurance companies”
However, Republicans are refusing to negotiate subsidies while the government shutdown continues. Trump wants a solution to the “crisis in the healthcare system,” reflected in a sharp rise in premiums, Thune said. Trump himself proposed a radical change on Saturday. On his Truth Social platform, he urged Senate Republicans to stop paying the hundreds of billions of dollars in aid to “greedy insurance companies.” Instead, he said, the money should go directly to citizens so they can buy “much better healthcare” and still have money left over.
