The 35-day partial government shutdown affected thousands of federal workers across the United States, but none likely bore the brunt of its impact more than the aviation industry. Seventeen thousand FAA employees were furloughed while more than 14,000 air traffic controllers went without pay. The disruption has led lawmakers to introduce new legislation aimed at ensuring the FAA remains operational in the event of another government shutdown.
Source: aopaCongress considers shielding FAA from shutdowns