Dem lawmaker sides with Trump officials as FAA slashes flights at 40 airports
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A Democratic lawmaker supports the Trump administration’s decision to reduce air traffic as a result of continued air congestion government shutdown.
“Safety must always be a top priority” for the aviation industry, Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., said in a statement Thursday evening.
“Secretary Duffy’s decision to reduce flights at America’s 40 busiest airports is the right call for the safety of the flying public,” Stanton wrote to X. “It is critical now that Republicans and Democrats come together and reach a bipartisan agreement on a plan to reduce healthcare costs and end the shutdown.”
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Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton said the Trump administration’s reduction in air traffic was “the right call.” (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images; Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“Arizona deserves better, and so do the hard-working professionals who keep our skies safe,” he concluded.
Friday marks the 38th day of the government shutdown. Bipartisan Senate efforts to end the dispute still haven’t produced a clear outcome.
Thousands of federal employees were placed on unpaid leave due to reduced funding for agencies and critical programs, while government employees deemed “essential” were forced to work without pay for weeks.
People in the second group include air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers; Many of them have to work second jobs and call in sick to make ends meet.
Travelers look at the flight information display system at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California, on November 3, 2025. (Juliana Yamada/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a 4% reduction in air traffic at the 40 busiest U.S. airports starting Friday.
This reduction will gradually increase to 10% by November 14 if the closure does not end by then.
An emergency order issued by the FAA said the reduction would ensure the National Airspace System “can maintain the highest standards of safety” amid shortages caused by the shutdown.
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This includes Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the largest airport serving the Stanton area.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks alongside Rep. Tom Emmer and House Speaker Mike Johnson during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on October 23, 2025. (Eric Lee/Getty Images)
Stanton’s nearby 4th Congressional District, Phoenix and surrounding suburbsIncluding parts of Tempe and Mesa.
In Washington, where two major airports are also affected by the shutdown order, Democratic leaders are still insisting that any funding deal be paired with an extension of COVID-19-enhanced Obamacare subsidies that expire at the end of this year.
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Republicans defied partisan policy supporters on a funding bill to end the shutdown.
Stanton was among House Democrats who voted against the GOP funding proposal when it passed the House on Sept. 19.
