A 25-year-old stalwart of the nation's nuclear arsenal is teetering on the brink of collapse as the federal government edges closer to its third week without funding. Energy Secretary Chris Wright warned that a "large majority" of employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration have been sent home, with 1,400 workers furloughed nationwide for the first time in the agency's history.
The absence of these nuclear experts poses a significant threat to national security, as they are deemed "critical personnel" whose continued employment is essential to maintaining the country's nuclear stockpile. Wright stressed that Congress must take action to reopen the government as soon as possible, lest up to 100,000 contractors associated with NNSA operations be furloughed.
The contractors, unlike federal employees, are not entitled to back pay and could face financial hardship if the shutdown persists beyond its current scheduled end date. Wright urged lawmakers to put aside partisan differences and pass a funding bill that would reopen the government until November 21.
So far, the Senate has failed to advance a bipartisan funding measure for the 11th time, leaving Wright's warnings of a catastrophic shortage of nuclear expertise hanging in the balance. Despite this, there are glimmers of hope – at least three senators have defected from their parties to vote in favor of advancing the bill, and Wright believes his Nevada counterpart, Senator Jacky Rosen, may also be willing to support it.
As Wright made his way through a packed news conference in Nevada, he emphasized that maintaining the nation's nuclear stockpile is an existential imperative. "We need to open the federal government as quickly as we can," he urged, making it clear that the stakes are higher than ever before.
The absence of these nuclear experts poses a significant threat to national security, as they are deemed "critical personnel" whose continued employment is essential to maintaining the country's nuclear stockpile. Wright stressed that Congress must take action to reopen the government as soon as possible, lest up to 100,000 contractors associated with NNSA operations be furloughed.
The contractors, unlike federal employees, are not entitled to back pay and could face financial hardship if the shutdown persists beyond its current scheduled end date. Wright urged lawmakers to put aside partisan differences and pass a funding bill that would reopen the government until November 21.
So far, the Senate has failed to advance a bipartisan funding measure for the 11th time, leaving Wright's warnings of a catastrophic shortage of nuclear expertise hanging in the balance. Despite this, there are glimmers of hope – at least three senators have defected from their parties to vote in favor of advancing the bill, and Wright believes his Nevada counterpart, Senator Jacky Rosen, may also be willing to support it.
As Wright made his way through a packed news conference in Nevada, he emphasized that maintaining the nation's nuclear stockpile is an existential imperative. "We need to open the federal government as quickly as we can," he urged, making it clear that the stakes are higher than ever before.
This shutdown thing is getting out of hand... like, who actually thought 100k contractors wouldn't get paid? 
I'm starting to think Congress has been playing too many video games and not enough nuclear physics 
️. Seriously though, with all the sabre-rattling from both sides, it's a wonder anyone's still keeping track of what's happening 
. Can we just get a simple funding bill passed already? 
And btw, 11 times the Senate has failed to pass a bipartisan measure? That's like me failing to cook ramen noodles without setting off the fire alarm... repeatedly 
.
... I mean, you've got these 1,400 workers who are basically the backbone of the whole operation furloughed and with no guarantee they'll get paid on time. It's not just about the employees, though - it's about the country's national security. These guys are critical personnel, and without them, you're putting our nuclear stockpile at risk 
.
. It's not just about the government; it's about the everyday people who are affected by these policies 
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... and if Senator Rosen gets on board too, that could be a game-changer. We need some people with real power to step up and make this happen ASAP 
...
I'm getting really worried about this nuclear situation... what if they really do lose all those experts? That's a whole different level of security risk. And contractors not being paid is just another thing to worry about - they're gonna be super stressed out. I just hope some senators can put aside their differences and get it done before things escalate further 
And what about the contractors? They're not protected by law, so they could be left high and dry... 
I mean, Senator Jacky Rosen might be willing to help out... that's a good sign! 
. Did you know that the average salary of a NNSA employee is around $94k, and with 1,400 being furloughed, we're looking at a potential loss of over $130 million in pay? 
. And what about national security? 
I mean, we can't stress enough how critical these nuclear experts are to maintaining our stockpile. This is not a partisan issue, it's about keeping us safe! 
... And let's not forget about the nuclear stockpile, if they don't keep those experts on board, it could be a recipe for disaster! Wright's right, we need to get this government reopened ASAP 
. We need people like Senator Rosen in Congress who can put politics aside and get things done. Let's hope they're able to broker some kind of deal soon... this whole thing is starting to feel like it could go very, very badly 