Washington (CNN) A national pilots association is urging President Donald Trump "to take the necessary steps" to end the partial government shutdown, saying that the stalemate is "adversely affecting the safety, security and efficiency of our national airspace system."

In a letter sent to the President on January 2, Captain Joe DePete, the president of the Air Line Pilots Association, International said that he was writing "(on) behalf of the 61,000 pilots" that belong to to the association to address the issues caused by the shutdown, which is now in its 16th day.

"On behalf of the 61,000 pilots of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), I am writing to urge you to take the necessary steps to immediately end the shutdown of government agencies that is adversely affecting the safety, security and efficiency of our national airspace system," DePete wrote in the letter.

"The nation's airspace system is a complex transportation network that involves government and industry partnerships to function properly, and the disruptions being caused by the shutdown are threatening the safe operations of this network," the letter read.

It noted that when the work of officials at the Department of Transportation and Department of Homeland Security is "placed on pause due to a shutdown there are safety, security and efficiency gaps that immediately emerge."

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