The Federal Aviation Administration doesn’t have enough air traffic controllers to control the nation’s air traffic. It’s a big problem. Airlines have been forced to delay, reschedule or cancel thousands of flights, especially at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. If you’ve flown recently, perhaps you’ve had some extra time on the tarmac to wonder what went wrong.

A big part of the answer: government shutdowns.

Repeated disruptions to the FAA’s funding over the past 15 years, caused by shutdowns and other budget fights, have played a key role in preventing the agency from hiring and training enough controllers. As Congress lurches and sways toward another potential shutdown, the FAA’s travails illustrate the stakes.

Shutdowns tend to be brief because Americans are soon

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