{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases/graves-blasts-schumer-using-air-traffic-controllers-political-pawns-government", "Graves Blasts Schumer for Using Air Traffic Controllers as Political Pawns in Government Shutdown", "2025-10-23", "2025", "2025-10", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Sam Graves", "G000546", "graves.house.gov", "graves", "https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Image\n\nOctober 23, 2025\n\nWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) joined Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-MI), and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy today at a press conference to discuss the impacts of the government shutdown on our aviation system and the more than 13,000 air traffic controllers currently working without pay.\n\nImage\n\nChairman Graves took the opportunity to praise air traffic controllers for continuing to do their job despite the uncertainty surrounding their next paycheck: \u201cThey\u2019re showing up for work, they\u2019re doing the job, and they\u2019re making sure that our skies stay safe.\u201d Speaking about the shutdown and Senator Chuck Schumer, Graves said, \u201cIt\u2019s unfortunate that he\u2019s weaponizing the air traffic controllers,\u201d and stressed that neither controllers nor their families should be used as political bargaining chips.\n\nChairman Graves\u2019 full remarks from today\u2019s press conference are available here.\n\nImage\n\nSpeaker Mike Johnson addressed reports that air traffic controllers are taking on second jobs to make ends meet during the government shutdown: \u201cAir traffic controllers, some people call the policemen of our skies, they have been showing up at work without pay. And, news reports have suggested that these men and women are seeking outside employment just to keep their families afloat.\u201d\n\nSecretary Duffy assured the public that it is still safe to fly and that the Administration\u2019s efforts to modernize the air traffic control system, for which the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee provided a down payment of $12.5 billion in H.R. 1, is still progressing during the shutdown. However, he noted that the shutdown has the potential to negatively impact the recruitment of new air traffic controllers, as recruits are witnessing controllers go without pay. Hiring new air traffic controllers has been a priority for the Trump Administration as they work to address the current controller shortage. Secretary Duffy spoke about effects of the shutdown on new recruits saying, \u201cThey\u2019re thinking about leaving the [FAA] Academy, smart young men and women, because they don\u2019t want to work for a system that won\u2019t pay them.\u201d\n\nChairman Graves joined Secretary Duffy and House Republican Leadership in urging liberals in the Senate to pass a clear continuing resolution \u2013 which the House did weeks ago \u2013 and vote to reopen the government.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases/graves-blasts-schumer-using-air-traffic-controllers-political-pawns-government"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.749157138168812, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}