It’s been 22 days since the government shutdown, the second-longest in U.S. history.
On Thursday morning, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson warned that football fans could start missing games because of mounting airport delays related to the shutdown.
“We’re rounding into a holiday season, as we all know, and we’re right in the middle of the height of the football season,” Speaker Johnson said, via X/Twitter. “This is peak travel time for the U.S. … If the current trajectory continues, many Americans could miss watching their favorite teams and reconnecting with friends and family.
“So football fans, if you are stuck in the airport this weekend while your favorite team is about to kick off, blame the Democrats for that.”
Johnson’s remarks came as negotiations in Congress remained stalled, with little progress toward a deal to reopen the government.
The shutdown has already led to disruptions across federal agencies, including staffing shortages at TSA and air traffic control centers, raising concerns about travel delays as the holidays approach.
Democrats dismissed Johnson’s comments as political theater. They are holding out in the government shutdown primarily to secure extensions for key health care provisions that Republicans left out of their short-term funding bill.
They argue that approving another stopgap measure without these safeguards would risk higher premiums and reduced coverage for millions of Americans.
Meanwhile, travelers and football fans alike are bracing for mounting frustrating travel, as airport terminals are packed with stranded passengers checking game scores from departure gates.
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