Patronis Covers Government Funding, Spirit Airlines Collapse, Redistricting and More

Pensacola, FL (Newsradio 92.3) -- Northwest Florida Congressman Jimmy Patronis joined Pensacola Morning News Monday with updates on several national and state issues — from the end of the government shutdown to the collapse of Spirit Airlines and the ongoing redistricting battle.

Government Shutdown Ends

Patronis says most federal agencies are now funded through the end of the Trump administration following the resolution of the government shutdown. He says Customs and Border Patrol remains the one exception — still pending funding through the budget reconciliation process — with a deadline he expects to be met before June 1st.

Spirit Airlines Collapse

The sudden shutdown of Spirit Airlines is being felt at Pensacola International Airport, which hosted a Spirit route to Fort Lauderdale. Patronis says the loss of a budget carrier has consequences for all travelers — not just Spirit customers — because budget airlines keep legacy carriers' prices in check. He says a proposed JetBlue merger that could have saved Spirit was blocked by Biden administration regulators, and that rising jet fuel costs tied to the Iran conflict contributed to the collapse.

Florida Redistricting

Patronis says the newly passed Florida congressional maps don't change Northwest Florida's district — the changes are concentrated in central and southeast Florida. He defended the maps as constitutionally sound under the Fair Districts Amendment and pointed to Illinois and Virginia as examples of far more egregious partisan gerrymandering that has drawn far less scrutiny.

NAS Pensacola Access Restored

Patronis celebrated the return of regular public access to Naval Air Station Pensacola — including the National Naval Aviation Museum, the lighthouse, and Blue Angels practice viewing. He called the base a national treasure and said restoring public access is important both for the community and for tourism.