According to the Secretary, the main reason for this step is safety concerns. During the shutdown, 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration employees are working without pay, forcing many of them to take sick leave or seek additional sources of income.
Since the beginning of the shutdown, there have already been numerous flight delays affecting more than 3.2 million passengers due to a shortage of air traffic controllers.
The shutdown in the U.S. has been ongoing since October 1 and has become the longest in the country's history. The economy loses nearly $2 billion each week due to this situation.
Congress has been unable to reach an agreement on funding, which is related to fundamental disagreements between Democrats and Republicans regarding spending on health insurance and subsidized healthcare.
