JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As the current government shutdown ranks as the third longest in United States history, lawmakers on the First Coast are taking steps to safeguard the livelihoods of Federal Aviation Administration personnel. These workers have been enduring financial uncertainty for the past 20 days due to the shutdown.

Representative Aaron Bean of District 4 has voiced concerns about the potential consequences of mass sick calls or walkouts among these critical employees. Such disruptions could spell disaster for the already crowded airspace in the region, which is home to numerous airports, military installations, and even space launch sites.

In response to the situation, Bean is spearheading the introduction of The Aviation Funding Stability Act of 2025. This proposed legislation aims to guarantee that essential workers in TSA lines and air traffic control towers continue to receive their paychecks, even amidst government funding interruptions, by tapping into the Airport and Airway Trust Fund.

This trust fund, bolstered by taxes collected from airline tickets and fuel surcharges, is designed to secure the financial stability of these vital workers. The measure seeks to ensure they are compensated for their indispensable service, regardless of any potential future government funding lapses.

“During the last major shutdown in 2019, by day 35 we saw a lot of air traffic controllers and other critical FAA employees calling out sick,” mentioned Congressman Aaron Bean, District 4.

Congressman Bean warns that if these essential FAA workers call out sick, you could see major delays and disruptions on your travel day—something lawmakers hope to avoid with this proposed bill.

District 18 Representative Kim Kendall dedicated her career before politics to being the “eyes of the sky,” working as an air traffic controller at the Jacksonville Air Route Traffic Control Center.

She adds that this bill could make a major difference, as airports were already dealing with staff shortages before the shutdown.

“When you stop moving your modes of transportation, the United States stops moving. We have to move all different kinds of goods and services and people,” explained Rep. Kim Kendall, District 18.

For impacted FAA employees, they will be eventually be paid once the government reopens; however, that timeline still remains unknown.