U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Secures Critical Funding for Essential Air Service After Democrat-Led Shutdown Threatened Lapse in Funding

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced today that the Department of Transportation has secured $41 million in additional funding to sustain the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, which was in danger of funding lapses due to the Democrat-led shutdown. Additional funding should prevent the program from lapsing into early November.

EAS is a critical lifeline to America’s rural communities. EAS provides subsidies to air carriers to operate out of rural airports for routes that are not profitable. EAS connects our smaller and medium sized communities with larger airports, expanding these communities’ access to work opportunities, medical necessities, and commercial goods that would otherwise be inaccessible. 

“The Trump Administration is doing its part to keep critical federal services like EAS hanging on through Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries’ radical shutdown. Democrats are putting their wish list for illegal immigrants over the needs of smaller, American communities relying on services like EAS to connect their rural neighborhoods with vital services and opportunities,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “Democrats must reopen the government to ensure these necessary programs don’t lapse.” 

On October 6, 2025, the Department notified EAS-eligible communities as well as air carriers providing EAS of a potential future shortfall of appropriated funding for EAS contracts and Alternate Essential Air Service (AEAS) grants. Should funding lapse, the Department will suspend the contractual obligations of the air carriers providing EAS and will suspend reimbursement under AEAS grants until such time as appropriated funding is restored, and full budgetary authority is reinstated.

Click HERE to learn more about the Essential Air Service program.

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