Archon Fung and Stephen Richer are joined on Terms of Engagement by Air Traffic Controller Jack Criss to discuss the real-world impact of the ongoing shutdown.
The federal government shutdown, precipitated by Congress’s inability to reach consensus on a fiscal year 2026 budget, is nearing thirty days. The shutdown has brought some federal government programs to a grinding halt, while other government employees in essential roles continue to work with partial or no pay.
One such worker is Jack Criss, an FAA Air Traffic Controller currently stationed at Andrews Air Force Base. Criss has been receiving only partial pay and is slated to soon miss a full paycheck. To keep his family’s finances afloat, Criss has turned to a part-time job to ensure enough income.
Archon Fung and Stephen Richer were joined on Terms of Engagement by Criss to discuss the real-world impact of the ongoing shutdown.
Jack Criss has been an air traffic controller for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for 16 years and has worked through three government shutdowns. Originally from Dallas, TX, Criss grew up in Section 8 poverty and describes himself as a “started-from-the-bottom person.” He’s a proud single father to a daughter, who’s a straight-A student and a freshman playing varsity sports at a private school in Arlington, VA.