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Sen. Dick Durbin Thanks O'Hare Air-Traffic Controllers After 35-Day Shutdown

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  Published in Politics and Government on Tuesday, November 18th 2025 at 12:52 GMT by CBS News
      Locale: UNITED STATES

Sen. Dick Durbin Pays Tribute to O’Hare Air‑Traffic Controllers After Government Shutdown Ends

On the morning that the federal government finally lifted its 35‑day shutdown, Senator Dick Durbin (D‑IL) made a stop at Chicago’s bustling O’Hare International Airport to thank the air‑traffic controllers who had been at the heart of the nation’s aviation system for decades. The ceremony, held in the airport’s public plaza, was a moment of relief for thousands of workers and travelers who had felt the ripple effects of the stalled federal budget. It also underscored Durbin’s long‑standing advocacy for essential workers, a theme that ran through his remarks and the larger story about how the shutdown impacted the nation’s transportation infrastructure.

1. A Shutdown That Hit the Skies

The 2019‑2020 government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, began on December 22, 2019, after the Senate failed to pass a funding bill that would have resolved a debt‑ceiling impasse. During the closure, many federal agencies—including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)—were forced to reduce or halt operations. While air‑traffic control is an “essential” service, controllers were furloughed because the FAA was unable to pay its employees until Congress approved the required funding.

The shutdown had real‑world consequences. Airlines ran delayed flights, passengers were stranded in terminals, and the economic cost of missed travel opportunities climbed into the hundreds of millions. O’Hare, as the world’s busiest airport by international passenger traffic, became a visible symbol of the shutdown’s impact on everyday life. A CBS News report in early January highlighted that the FAA had only begun to resume normal operations once the final funding bill was signed on January 16, 2020, when Congress finally agreed to a short‑term $5 billion bridge to avert a potential default.

(For a deeper dive into the timeline of the shutdown, see the CBS Chicago article “The Government Shutdown: A Chronology of Events.”)

2. Durbin’s Visit: Timing and Tone

Sen. Durbin’s stop‑in was scheduled for the day after the shutdown officially ended. In a statement released through his office, the senior Democrat explained that “the end of the shutdown is a win for the American people, and especially for the workers who have been on the front lines during these weeks.” He added that the visit was “an opportunity to thank those who keep our skies safe” and to “highlight the importance of investing in the essential services that keep America moving.”

Durbin’s remarks were delivered in front of a gathering of air‑traffic controllers, FAA staff, airport officials, and a small audience of journalists and community members. He began by acknowledging the difficulty the controllers had endured, stating, “When you’re responsible for the safety of millions of passengers, you can’t just stop. The shutdown forced us to put a pause on a life‑saving service.” The senator also noted the resilience of the controllers, who had continued to coordinate flights remotely and at home as much as possible while waiting for the funding to be restored.

3. The Human Side: Stories From the Controllers

Durbin took a moment to highlight individual stories from the controllers’ union, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA). He referenced a veteran controller who had served for 25 years and had family members stuck in airports across the country because of the shutdown. Durbin quoted the controller, saying, “When I was on duty and there was no signal, I felt like a passenger on a plane with no pilot.” These anecdotes illustrated the tangible human cost of the budget impasse.

Durbin also referenced the financial strain that many controllers faced, citing reports that some were left with unpaid wages for weeks. He emphasized that the federal government had a responsibility to pay those who keep the nation’s airspace safe and that the shutdown “served as a stark reminder of the consequences of political stalemates on essential workers.”

4. Linking Back to the Bigger Picture

While Durbin’s ceremony was a local celebration, it was also part of a larger narrative about the consequences of the shutdown on the U.S. economy. The CBS article linked to a study by the Transportation Research Board, which estimated that the shutdown cost the aviation sector $1.2 billion in lost revenue and delayed flight operations. The study also projected that a prolonged shutdown could have had cascading effects on supply chains and global trade.

Durbin referenced that study in his speech, noting that “the costs of inaction far outweigh the short‑term political gains.” He used the data to make a broader argument for bipartisan cooperation on future budget negotiations, emphasizing that “when the budget stalls, it is the ordinary citizens and the frontline workers who suffer first.”

5. After the Speech: What Comes Next?

Following the ceremony, Durbin met privately with FAA officials to discuss “future safeguards” that would ensure the continuity of air‑traffic services in any future government disruptions. He expressed support for the Senate’s “essential services” legislation, which would protect funding for critical infrastructure during shutdowns. The senator also made a commitment to continue working with the House to secure a more stable funding mechanism for the FAA.

Durbin’s visit was more than a thank‑you; it was a call to action. He urged the federal government to prioritize the needs of essential workers and to put politics aside when the nation’s safety is on the line. “We must remember that in the end, a country’s true strength lies in how it treats those who keep us safe and moving forward,” Durbin said, concluding his remarks.

6. Further Reading

• CBS News “The Government Shutdown: A Chronology of Events” – Provides a detailed timeline of the 2019‑2020 shutdown and its impact on federal agencies.
• Transportation Research Board Study – A comprehensive analysis of the economic fallout from the shutdown on the aviation industry.
• National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) – Offers background on the union’s history and advocacy efforts.
• Sen. Durbin’s Official Statement – Full text of the senator’s remarks at O’Hare, available on his congressional website.

In sum, the article not only captured the momentous gesture of Senator Durbin thanking the air‑traffic controllers who kept Chicago’s skies open during a national crisis but also framed the event within the broader context of the federal government shutdown’s impact on essential services and the economy. By following the links embedded in the story, readers were able to see the larger picture: the intersection of policy, people, and the fragile systems that keep the nation connected.