Government shutdown prompts FAA to float flight cancellations as Senate talks continue

The FAA's plan to slash airline capacity due to the government shutdown could hit some of the nation's busiest airports, including in Atlanta, Dallas, New York City and Los Angeles, according to a proposed list provided to CBS News by a source familiar with the discussions.

It includes scores of busy passenger airports in major cities and airline hubs, as well as cargo airports in Louisville, Kentucky; Memphis, Tennessee; Anchorage, Alaska; Ontario, California, and an airport in Teterboro, New York, that is frequented by private jets and other general aviation traffic.

The list is not final, and it still could change, as the FAA has not issued a final order requiring airlines to cut their capacity. The FAA has not formally announced which airports will have their capacity cut. 

Read the full list here.

Airlines are scrambling to make plans after the Federal Aviation Administration announced it will throttle air travel capacity by 10% in 40 high-volume markets due to the government shutdown.

The capacity cuts are expected to be phased in starting Friday, according to two sources familiar with a call between airlines, the FAA and the Department of Transportation. The airlines have not yet received an official order from the FAA, but are operating under the understanding that they'll need to reduce their schedules by at least 4% on Friday and at least 5% on Saturday, and hit the 10% mark by next week. Those plans could change, though, when the final order is issued.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the capacity cuts on Wednesday, calling them necessary to reduce stress on air traffic controllers who have worked without pay since the shutdown began last month. Airports have faced on-and-off delays for weeks as some air traffic controllers call out of work.

Several airline sources describe confusion about how the policy will be applied and whether or not it will be tied to actual air traffic controller staffing levels. The FAA also has not released a list of the 40 markets that will be hit by capacity cuts.

Airlines were expecting increased travel volumes this weekend as Veterans Day is next week. There is also the potential for weather disruptions in the upper Midwest this weekend.

The Department of Transportation has not responded to a request for comment.

Asked by Fox News' Bret Baier if he's willing to make a deal with Democrats to extend government funding and end the shutdown, President Trump said: "They should automatically extend, and we will make a deal as soon as they do."

Mr. Trump also called Democrats "radicalized lunatics" in a brief excerpt from an interview with Baier airing Thursday night.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the federal government would reduce airline traffic by 10% at 40 locations beginning on Friday if the shutdown continues. The reductions are aimed at reducing the stress on air traffic controllers who have continued to work without pay.

"We've identified 40 high-traffic-environment markets," Bedford said, adding that the list would be released later. "We have decided that a 10% reduction in scheduled capacity would be appropriate to continue to take the pressure off of our controllers. And as we continue to see staffing triggers, there will be additional measures that will be taken in those specific markets."

Bedford said the reductions are being driven by "issues of fatigue that our flight controllers are experiencing," as evidenced by "voluntary safety disclosure reports coming in from commercial air transport pilots." Those reports have allowed regulators to focus on throttling traffic on specific markets, and not the country as a whole, Bedford said.

"As we slice the data more granularly, we are seeing pressures build in a way that we don't feel, if we allow it to go unchecked, will allow us to continue to tell the public that we operate the safest airline system in the world," Bedford said. 

Duffy has warned for weeks that the ongoing shutdown would lead to an increasing number of delays and cancellations as cash-strapped air traffic controllers begin calling out of work. 

"I think it's going to lead to more cancellations. We're going to work with the airlines to do this in a systematic way," Duffy said.

Read more here.

Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine will not run for reelection next year, he announced Wednesday, a move that could complicate Democrats' efforts to win a House majority.

Golden's district — which covers northern Maine — is expected to be one of the most closely contested House seats in next year's midterm elections. Last year, it was one of just 13 Democratic districts where a Democrat won the House race but President Trump won at the top of the ticket. It's one of 26 seats that the House GOP's campaign arm plans on targeting next year as Republicans aim to hold onto their narrow majority in the lower chamber.

Golden is known for occasionally breaking with his party. He was the only House Democrat to vote in favor of a GOP-backed measure to avert a government shutdown in September.

In an op-ed in the Bangor Daily News, Golden said his decision was driven in part by the "unnecessary, harmful" government shutdown. He also said he has "grown tired of the increasing incivility and plain nastiness that are now common from some elements of our American community," and "recent incidents of political violence have made me reassess the frequent threats against me and my family."

Read more here.

Speaking to the America Business Forum in Miami, Mr. Trump blasted Schumer and said it's time for Democrats to vote for a clean short-term funding bill and reopen the government. 

"It's time for Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrat Congress to stop playing games with the people's lives and to pass a clean funding bill that they've done 30 times before," he said. "And to reopen government immediately. Just reopen it. They don't like it to be reopened because we're setting records. They think it's — actually, I don't think anything's going to hurt. We are so strong now that I'm not sure that anything's going to hurt. But it would be good to open it up."

Sen. Mike Rounds, a South Dakota Republican who's been involved in bipartisan talks to end the shutdown, told CBS News that Democrats' sweep in key races Tuesday night haven't derailed conversations even as the party appeared emboldened in their shutdown stance on Wednesday. He was hopeful that an end to the shutdown remains in sight. 

"There's no surprise on the outcome of the election for us," Rounds said. "What our assumption was is they'll take a couple of victory laps today, maybe tomorrow, and they'll claim victory for having fought the president the longest of anybody and setting a record for shutting down the government. The bottom line is, they still have to open it up at some stage of the game."

Illustrating the point, Rounds said "we've had more conversations in the last three hours with folks that want to find a path forward and feel they've done their duty to their party." For the Democrats, now it's a matter of how to move forward to have an opportunity to address health care, Rounds said.

"I think we've got a good path where we don't embarrass them by making them vote on the same CR again and again and again," Rounds said. "We've done it 14 times. That's enough. Now we look at some other alternatives, and maybe that's a way to draw them into getting work done and opening up the government."

The comments came as the contours of a deal to end the stalemate began emerging earlier this week, with a possible agreement that would fund the government alongside long-term appropriations bills in exchange for a vote on extending health insurance tax credits that Democrats have demanded.

"You could have a deal tomorrow," Rounds told reporters. "I think they've got to kind of run a victory lap yet."

Round, asked about his hopeful tone, said "I've got folks that are middle of the road Dems that are trying to find a way to actually do this."

Senate Republicans offered mixed views on ending the filibuster after Mr. Trump urged them to do away with the long-held Senate rule at a breakfast meeting earlier in the day.

Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana told CBS News the president "gives you a lot to think about."

"But right now, I think it would let Chuck Schumer off the hook," Cassidy added of ending the filibuster. "He's being incredibly irresponsible keeping the government shut down."

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas told reporters he was open to changes, suggesting a possible carveout of filibuster rules. He said the portion that "cries out for change is the fact we haven't been able to do regular appropriations for a while."

"And now, with the sort of Schumer shutdown, having a willful minority be able to shut down the government anytime they want to, obviously, we can't tolerate that," Cornyn said. "So I think that calls for some changes, and appropriations, including CRs, may be a good candidate for that."

Sen. Jim Banks, an Indiana Republican, said in a video on X that "it's time to reopen the government, get back to work, and do all of the things that the American people elected us to do."

"Let's do what it takes, whether that's changing the filibuster rules in the Senate," Banks said. "Whatever it takes."

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia told reporters she still opposes doing away with the filibuster. Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma said "I'm in the same spot I've always been on the filibuster — that should not change." And Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana likewise said his position hasn't changed.

"The role of the senator is not just to advance good ideas. The role of the senator is to kill bad ideas," Kennedy said. "And when you're in the minority, we're not now, but we could be someday, it's important to have a filibuster. We killed a lot of President Biden's goofy ideas through the filibuster, and someday the shoe will be on the other foot."

Minority Leader Chuck Schumer showed no signs of backing down in the shutdown fight following Democrats' strong performance in Tuesday's elections, which he called "a shellacking for the Republicans, and for Donald Trump."

"Last night was clear, unmistakable, as a repudiation of Trump and a vindication of what Democrats have been fighting for over the last several months and all year," Schumer said. "Last night, Republicans felt the political repercussions. It should serve [as] nothing short of a five-alarm fire to the Republicans."

The New York Democrat said the elections "should make it clear that they simply cannot continue to ignore not only us, but the American people, for the good of the whole country." 

"So again, Leader Jeffries and I this morning demanded that Donald Trump sit down and meet with us to address the health care crisis. Anytime, anywhere, any place. We're ready to meet with him. It's time to sit down and negotiate with Democrats to bring this Republican shutdown to an end and address the health care crisis," he said. "Because if Donald Trump were smart, he'd recognize the election results for what they are." 

Sanders addressed the ongoing bipartisan talks around a potential deal that would reopen the government with a promise in the Senate to vote on extending the health care tax credits that are at the heart of Democrats' demands. He said that any vote would be a "meaningless gesture" without a commitment from House Speaker Mike Johnson and President Trump that they would support the extension.

"I know there is some discussion about bipartisan negotiations. And I want to be very clear: if — if — these negotiations say that we're going to pass legislation that would extend the tax credits of the Affordable Care Act, count me in, that's great. But there has to be a commitment that the speaker of the House is on board. There has to be a commitment that the president of the United States is prepared to sign the bill," the Vermont independent said. 

"Bottom line is, we need to be successful in protecting the health care of the American people, and if it's just a piece of legislation that passes the Senate, with either 50 votes or 60 votes, so what? Where does it go? Then it becomes just a meaningless gesture," he added.

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont took the lectern at Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's scheduled press conference at the Capitol while Schumer was running late. Sanders, the leading progressive in the Senate, offered his thoughts on Tuesday's elections, and tied the outcome to congressional Democrats' efforts to extend health insurance tax credits.

"I think there was a common theme last night, and that is that people all over this country are rejecting Trumpism," Sanders said. "They understand that it is a horrific situation when 20-plus million people are going to see a doubling or in some cases a tripling in their health care premiums when they can't afford it. When 15 million people are going to be thrown off their health care because of massive cuts to Medicaid."

He added: "I think what people want is that the Democrats stand up and continue to fight. So I think that one of the reasons of many that the Democrats had so much success is an appreciation that Democrats are trying to protect health care for the American people."

GOP Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri expressed openness to ending the filibuster if the shutdown drags on,  outlining to reporters that the president told Republicans at the White House the shutdown needs to end while urging them to do away with the filibuster.

"I will just say this to my Democrat colleagues: If you're going to put me, personally, to the choice between providing food assistance to 42 million needy Americans or defending some arcane rule of the Senate, I'm going to choose people," Hawley said, referring to the funding shortage for SNAP benefits. 

Hawley warned Democrats that their position isn't "sustainable."

"You're putting me into a choice between people and Senate rules, and I'm going to choose people," he said.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, returning from breakfast at the White House, told reporters at the Capitol that there aren't the votes needed in the Senate to do away with the filibuster, as the president has requested. 

"I know where the votes are," Thune said. "The answer is, there aren't the votes, as I've said before."

Thune added, after speaking on the Senate floor, that the president's views on the filibuster "are well-formed."

"I think the focus, in my view, ought to be trying to figure out how to get the government opened up," Thune said.

When asked by CBS News whether Mr. Trump could sway members on the filibuster, Thune said "he could, he's obviously very influential, and our members want to do everything they can to be good partners and help him implement his agenda."

"So I don't doubt that he could have some sway with members. But I just know, I know where the math is on this issue in the Senate," Thune said. "It's just not happening."

Speaking on the steps of the Capitol at his daily press briefing, House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday's election results, which saw a sweep for Democrats in major races, were evidence that Democratic members in Congress are beholden to the left wing of the party. Johnson singled out Zohran Mamdani, who won the race for mayor of New York.

"Zohran Mamdani is without a doubt the biggest win for socialism in the history of the country, and it is the biggest loss for the American people," Johnson said. "The results of that race tell you everything you need to know about where the Democrats and their party are headed. From the back bench to their leadership, Democrats have fallen in line behind the socialist candidates."

But he warned against drawing sweeping conclusions from the results, downplaying what the GOP losses portend for next year's midterm elections.

"There's no surprises. What happened last night is blue states and blue cities voted blue. We all saw that coming. And no one should read too much into last night's election results," he said. "Off-year elections are not indicative of what's to come, that's what history teaches us."

"I don't think the loss last night was any reflection about Republicans at all," Johnson said later.

The Senate is not currently scheduled to vote on the House-passed measure to reopen the government today. 

The Senate convenes at 10 a.m. with a vote on a judicial nomination set for 11:30 a.m., followed by a procedural vote on a nomination for an assistant secretary of state, according to Majority Whip John Barrasso's office. If the nomination advances, the Senate would then vote on the assistant secretary of state's confirmation at 2:15 p.m. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries requested a meeting between the president and congressional leaders in a letter Wednesday morning. 

"We write to demand a bipartisan meeting of legislative leaders to end the GOP shutdown of the federal government and decisively address the Republican healthcare crisis," the leaders wrote. "Democrats stand ready to meet with you face to face, anytime and anyplace."

The letter comes after the president denied the Democrats' last request for a meeting, saying he would only meet with them after the shutdown came to an end. 

Mr. Trump again called on Senate Republicans to do away with the filibuster, this time making the case to their faces during remarks at a White House breakfast.

"It's time for Republicans to do what they have to do and that's terminate the filibuster," Mr. Trump said. "It's the only way you can do it, and if you don't terminate the filibuster, you'll be in bad shape. We won't pass any legislation."

The president said "we should start tonight with, 'the country's open, congratulations,'" before moving to address through legislation things like voter ID and no mail in voting.

"We should pass all the things we want to pass, make our elections secure and safe," Mr. Trump said. 

The president suggested that Senate Democrats would immediately do away with the filibuster if they take power, saying he "wouldn't even bring it up" if he didn't think it was the case. 

Mr. Trump said "I think it's very important, we have to get the country open, and the way we're going to do it this afternoon is to terminate the filibuster." But he acknowledged that "it's possible you're not going to do that, and I'm going to go by your wishes."

"You're very smart people, we're good friends, but I think it's a tremendous mistake, really," he added.

The president also pushed to do away with blue slips, a practice that gives senators veto power over judicial nominations in their home state.

Speaking at a breakfast for Republican senators, Mr. Trump claims pollsters said the government shutdown was a "big factor" in last night's Democratic victories. 

"I thought we'd have a discussion after the press leaves about what last night represented and what we should do about it," the president said. "And also about the shutdown and how that relates to last night. I think if you read the pollsters, the shutdown was a big factor, negative for the Republicans, and that was a big factor. And they say that I wasn't on the ballot was the biggest factor. But I don't know about that but I was honored that they said that." 

The president said "countless public servants" are not being paid and air traffic controllers "under increasing strain."

"We must get the government back open soon and really immediately," he said, adding that the shutdown is starting to affect the stock market.

The president called Tuesday night's election results "interesting" and "we learned a lot." 

"Last night, it was, you know, not expected to be a victory," he said. "It was very Democrat areas. But I don't think it was good for Republicans. I'm not sure it was good for anybody. But we had an interesting evening and we learned a lot."

President Trump late Tuesday called again for the Senate to do away with the filibuster, the 60-vote threshold needed to advance most legislation, as he is set to meet with Senate Republicans Wednesday morning.

"REPUBLICANS, TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER! GET BACK TO PASSING LEGISLATION AND VOTER REFORM!" the president said in a post on Truth Social. 

In another post as the results of Tuesday's election rolled in overnight, the president continued his urging, saying, "Pass Voter Reform, Voter ID, No Mail-In Ballots. Save our Supreme Court from 'Packing,' No Two State addition, etc. TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER!!!"

The comments come after he urged Republicans late last week to take "the Nuclear Option" to reopen the government without Democratic votes, and some on the party's right flank have likewise urged Senate Republicans to change the upper chamber's rules to end the shutdown. But Senate Majority Leader John Thune favors preserving the filibuster, and when asked about the president's repeated calls to end it earlier this week, he told reporters that he's spoken with the president, and "I think we all know his view."

The president responded to Thune's position in an interview that aired on "60 Minutes" on Sunday, saying "I like John Thune. I think he's terrific, but I disagree with him on this point."

"The Republicans have to get tougher," the president said. "If we end the filibuster, we can do exactly what we want.

Senate Republicans are heading to the White House this morning for an 8:30 a.m. breakfast meeting with President Trump as the shutdown drags on. 

Republican senators last met with the president at the White House on Oct. 21, when they joined him for lunch. The president was out of the country the following week, and some lawmakers say his return to Washington and renewed involvement in the shutdown fight increases the likelihood of a resolution, since the White House would likely be involved in any talks to reach an agreement. 

The shutdown became the longest in U.S. history on Tuesday night, eclipsing the record previously held by the shutdown of late 2018 and early 2019. 

That funding lapse ended on the evening of the 35th day, when President Trump signed a bill to extend government funding for three weeks. The White House announced the bill had been signed at 9:23 p.m. on Jan. 25, 2019. 

The current shutdown began during daylight saving time and has lasted through the change to standard time, meaning it passed the comparable length of time one hour earlier, or 8:23 p.m. on Tuesday.

Shutdowns are a relatively recent phenomenon, having only begun in their current form in 1980, when the attorney general issued a series of legal opinions saying it was illegal for government agencies to continue spending without authorization from Congress. There have been 15 shutdowns since then, including the current impasse.