“The National Nuclear Security Administration is using its full range of budgetary and contractual authorities to sustain operations for the maximum possible duration,” according to the spokesperson for the agency. The NNSA is responsible for overseeing the safety of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile.
“If available funds are exhausted, key personnel will stay on, unpaid, to maintain crucial oversight and safety of the nuclear security enterprise on behalf of the American people,” added the spokesperson, who declined to comment on when funding will be exhausted and how many NNSA workers will be furloughed.
This development comes after Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on October 2 that the NNSA’s funding was drying out. “Eight more days of funding, and then we have to go into some emergency shutdown procedures, putting our country at risk,” Wright previously told Fox News host Laura Ingraham.
The Senate failed to pass a clean continuing resolution for the seventh time on October 9 before leaving for the weekend. The Senate will resume on October 14.
No RIFs at NRC, NNSA—so far: Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought said in a post on X on October 10 that “The RIFs have begun,” referring to the reduction in force that the Trump administration said would affect the federal workforce if an agreement to fund the government wasn’t reached.
However, the NNSA and the NRC told Nuclear Newswire that as of October 10, they had not approved any reduction in force plans.
