By Hank Russell
U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota (R-Rocky Point) recently cosponsored a bill that would pay air traffic controllers while the government is still being shut down.
Introduced by Aaron Bean (R-Florida), the Aviation Funding Stability Act of 2025 would provide automatic, short-term funding for the FAA through the Airport and Airway Trust Fund whenever Congress has not yet enacted regular appropriations or a continuing resolution, such as during a shutdown.
A Senate version was also introduced by Jerry Moran (R-Kansas).
LaLota also sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana), urging them to bring the Aviation Funding Stability Act to a vote once the House reconvenes.
“Air traffic controllers don’t stop working when Washington stops functioning, and their paychecks shouldn’t either,” LaLota said in his letter. “Keeping our skies safe is a 24/7 mission, not a political bargaining chip. … Long Islanders expect their government to keep essential services running, and this legislation ensures exactly that.”
But LaLota emphasized in his letter that it is about more than getting the air controllers paid; it’s about safety and workers’ health.
“When our air traffic controllers are overextended, fatigued, or short-staffed, risk grows and reliability erodes,” LaLota said. “Delays and cancellations ripple through the economy, hurting small businesses, medical flights, and supply chains that rely on predictable schedules. Each day of uncertainty compounds training backlogs, interrupts equipment maintenance, and undermines retention in a specialized workforce that takes years—and significant taxpayer investment—to build.”