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Bera stands with Sacramento federal workers, calls for end to shutdown
Bera emphasized that the crisis was not just about Washington politics but about the people keeping essential services running.
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Malvika Choudhary - Sat, 18, Oct 2025
- 15:04 EDT
- 17
Ami Bera with Sacramento Federal Workers / bera.house.gov
Congressman Ami Bera on Oct. 17 joined federal employees at Sacramento International Airport to express support for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) staff working without pay during the ongoing government shutdown.
Speaking alongside members of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1230, Bera called the situation “unacceptable,” urging Republican leaders to resume negotiations with Democrats to reopen the government and protect access to affordable health care.
Also Read: Rep. Bera calls for action to end shutdown, protect healthcare
“It is unacceptable that TSA agents and air traffic controllers are being forced to work without pay,” Bera said. “These essential workers continue to do their jobs, but President Trump and Speaker Johnson aren’t doing theirs. We need to reopen the government, pay these workers, and protect access to affordable health care for millions of Americans.”
The California lawmaker met with TSA agents and air traffic controllers to hear how the shutdown is affecting their families and job performance. His remarks come as the shutdown, now more than two weeks old, continues to disrupt federal operations nationwide.
Bera, who represents the Sacramento region, emphasized that the crisis was not just about Washington politics but about the people keeping essential services running. “These workers are showing up every day to keep our airports and skies safe,” he said, calling the ongoing standoff “a crisis of leadership” that demands urgent resolution.
The federal government shutdown began on Oct. 1 after Congress failed to pass funding bills for the new fiscal year. The deadlock has left an estimated 900,000 federal employees furloughed and hundreds of thousands more, including aviation and border security personnel, working without pay.
Disagreements over health care subsidies and spending levels have stalled negotiations between the White House and Congress. Aviation workers have been among the most visibly affected.
While TSA and FAA employees are deemed essential and required to report for duty, reports from across the country indicate rising absenteeism, financial stress, and growing delays at airports. Air traffic controllers and screeners have been relying on food donations from colleagues and travelers as the impasse drags on.
Economists have warned that the shutdown could become one of the longest in U.S. history if no deal is reached soon, with weekly GDP losses estimated between 0.1 percent and 0.2 percent. The shutdown has also forced other critical agencies, including the National Nuclear Security Administration, to plan large-scale furloughs.
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