Gottheimer calls for bipartisan action to reopen government, address flight delays at Newark Airport

NEWARK, N.J. (Essex County) — U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) on Tuesday announced new steps to address the government shutdown’s growing impact on air travel and to help reopen the federal government through bipartisan cooperation.

Speaking at Newark Liberty International Airport, Gottheimer highlighted worsening flight delays caused by staffing shortages, which he said are being compounded by the ongoing shutdown.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, flights at Newark Airport experienced ground delays of 88 minutes last Thursday due to low air traffic control staffing. Before the shutdown, staffing shortages accounted for about 5% of all flight delays — a figure that has now risen to 53%. Gottheimer said that last week alone, twelve FAA facilities, including Newark, were understaffed, contributing to nearly 40,000 delayed flights nationwide.

Gottheimer outlined several actions aimed at mitigating the effects of the shutdown and protecting federal workers, including calling on the Speaker of the House to bring Congress back into session weekly until a bipartisan agreement is reached.

He also announced plans to:

• Send a letter to congressional leadership outlining the shutdown’s impact on seniors, veterans, families, infrastructure, airports, and the economy.
• Request a report from the Congressional Budget Office to determine the shutdown’s total cost to taxpayers and the U.S. economy.
• Support the Aviation Funding Stability Act to ensure FAA employees are paid during any government shutdown.
• Advocate for back pay for all federal workers affected by the shutdown.

“I’ve been working with both my Republican and Democratic colleagues, in the House and Senate, to find a way to reopen the government in a responsible, bipartisan way. But we need everyone at the table. And we should be there every single week until we work this out. It is ridiculous that the Speaker has kept the House out of session this entire time. The American people deserve better,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5).

“We know that we need to keep the country running, and support the people who help make that happen. That means supporting the folks here at TSA screening and in the towers and at our airports, and working together to reopen the government,” Gottheimer said.

Gottheimer said the shutdown’s impacts extend beyond airports, affecting seniors, veterans, families, and national security, as well as the broader economy.