US shutdown could force mass layoffs of nuclear weapons staff, lawmaker warns
WASHINGTON: The US government shutdown could soon force most employees responsible for managing the nation’s nuclear weapons to stop working, a top Republican warned on Friday (Oct 17).
House Armed Services Committee chair Mike Rogers said the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), which oversees the country’s nuclear stockpile, was nearly out of reserve funding and might have to lay off up to 80 per cent of its staff.
“These are not employees you want to go home,” Rogers told reporters. “They’re managing a very important strategic asset for us. They need to be at work and being paid.”
SHUTDOWN CRISIS DEEPENS
The warning comes as the government shutdown enters its third week, with lawmakers still deadlocked over a spending bill. The Senate on Thursday failed for the 10th time to pass the Republican proposal to reopen the government.
It was unclear whether Rogers was referring to permanent layoffs or temporary furloughs during the shutdown.
The Energy Department, which oversees the NNSA, employs fewer than 2,000 federal staff but manages about 60,000 contractors involved in designing, maintaining and securing the US nuclear arsenal.
ENERGY SECRETARY WARNS OF IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Energy Secretary Chris Wright told USA Today that tens of thousands of critical workers could be sent home starting next week.
Staff at the agency were told that furloughs, or unpaid leave, could begin as early as Friday, according to employees cited by the newspaper.
“These are people who ensure our nuclear systems remain safe and secure,” Wright said. “Any disruption has national security implications.”
US NUCLEAR STOCKPILE AT STAKE
The United States maintains an estimated 5,177 nuclear warheads, about 1,770 of which are deployed, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
The NNSA is responsible for designing, manufacturing, servicing and securing those weapons, a mission seen as critical to US deterrence and strategic stability.
With funding now nearly exhausted, lawmakers face mounting pressure to reach a deal before vital defence and energy operations begin to shut down.
