Overview
- Senators approved the package 60–40 to finance federal operations through late January, including retroactive pay and rehiring for furloughed employees.
- FAA capacity limits of up to about 10% at 40 major airports, compounded by weather and crew displacements, produced several thousand cancellations in recent days.
- Air traffic controller staffing remains strained as unpaid work led to higher absenteeism and retirements rising from roughly four per day to about 15–20 per day.
- President Trump urged controllers to return to duty, threatened pay reductions for those who do not, and said he would recommend $10,000 bonuses for those who stayed on the job.
- Democratic infighting intensified after eight moderates joined Republicans to advance the plan, while shutdown fallout also included reported delays exceeding $5 billion in U.S. arms exports.