On Thursday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright issued a warning that potential government shutdowns could endanger the safety of nuclear weapons, particularly with funding running low. “We have eight more days of funding from the National Nuclear Security Agency, which oversees nuclear weapons reserves and powers nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers,” he said.
Wright highlighted that his division requires confirmation for over 20 positions from the Senate. He criticized Democrats for delaying these appointments, which he believes contributes to the government’s shutdown by blocking necessary votes.
The Department of Energy released an emergency response plan indicating that personnel from the weapons program would still monitor critical control systems and operational needs during a shutdown. This includes the maintenance of nuclear materials and related equipment.
According to an analysis of the DOE’s emergency response plans, nearly 60% of its staff could be left without work. The Trump administration has suggested severe layoffs across federal agencies in the event of a shutdown.
Officials within the Trump administration have argued that Democrats are hindering the passage of a StopGup bill intended to keep government operations running until November 21st. Conversely, Democratic leaders have pushed for extended premium subsidies under the Affordable Care Act and reversed cuts to Medicaid before reaching a compromise.
“This is a dirty trick affecting Americans,” Wright remarked. He noted that starting October 1st, many will receive notifications indicating their premiums have increased significantly.
In a segment, Sanders referenced research from Yale and the University of Pennsylvania, claiming that Medicaid cuts tied to the removal of certain bills could lead to the deaths of 50,000 low-income working Americans.
Wright further remarked that the government shutdown protocols have made federal operations “incredibly inefficient” and called attention to the absurdity of continuing bills that passed with bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress.
