Archive

Budget & Policy

Congressional appropriations, continuing resolutions, and White House directives shaping funding and priorities across DOE, NNSA, and NRC — the policy context behind every program story.

  • Shaheen seeks info from DoD on tariffs impact, potential for rising acquisition costs

    A senior member of the Senate Armed Services and Appropriations Committees has raised concerns that the Trump administration’s widespread tariffs policy will lead to a spike in defense acquisition costs and negatively impact the industrial base. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who is also the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, sent a letter to […]

  • Coming up:

    Here are events related to nuclear matters that Exchange Monitor staff are tracking: 21-23: Conference: 2025 Carnegie International Nuclear Policy conference at the Westin Downtown D.C. kicks off at 9:15 a.m. Eastern time with a virtual keynote by Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi. 22: Conference: Energy Communities Alliance holds new nuclear projects conference starting at […]

  • Letters to Secretary Wright criticize cuts to funds, request workforce numbers

    House Democratic leaders of the Energy and Commerce committee demanded answers from Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on the effects of mass firing at DOE. The letter, released April 14, was signed by full committee ranking member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.), Energy subcommittee ranking member Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), and Oversight and Investigations subcommittee ranking member […]

  • Letters to Secretary Wright criticize cuts to funds, request workforce numbers

    House Democratic leaders of the Energy and Commerce committee demanded answers from Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on the effects of mass firing at DOE. The letter, released April 14, was signed by full committee ranking member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.), Energy subcommittee ranking member Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), and Oversight and Investigations subcommittee ranking member […]

  • Federal judge temporarily blocks DOE’s move to cap research grant funds at universities

    A federal judge in Massachusetts has issued a temporary restraining order on Wednesday blocking the Department of Energy’s new policy that would reduce universities research grant funds to 15%. U.S. district judge Allison Burroughs granted the order and allowed for DOE to appeal by April 22. A hearing for the motion is scheduled at 11:00 […]

  • Round up: Ohio lawmakers send letter to Chris Wright; President Trump extends hiring freeze; EnergySolutions appoints Duffy; More

    Ohio lawmakers sent a letter to Secretary of Energy Chris Wright asking that he award “a majority share” of any funds appropriated to the Department of Energy toward Centrus Energy’s American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon, Ohio. The letter was signed by Gov. Mike DeWine (R), Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel (R), and Sens. Bernie Moreno (R) […]

  • Letters to Secretary Wright criticize cuts to funds, request workforce numbers

    House Democratic leaders of the Energy and Commerce committee demanded answers from Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on the effects of mass firing at DOE. The letter, released April 14, was signed by full committee ranking member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.), Energy subcommittee ranking member Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), and Oversight and Investigations subcommittee ranking member […]

  • DOE report says Hanford cleanup costs $72 billion above 2022 estimate for lower range

    In a Lifecycle report released every three years, the Department of Energy said costs to fully complete the nation’s biggest and most expensive nuclear cleanup in Washington State will be between $364 billion and $589.4 billion. The Hanford Lifecycle Scope, Schedule, and Cost Report, released April 15, also estimated that cleanup could not be complete […]

  • Trump administration support for Nuclear Triad may lead to Sentinel reprieve

    The Northrop Grumman LGM-35A Sentinel future intercontinental ballistic missile may get a reprieve from President Donald Trump’s executive order as DoD re-baselined the program last year after a six-month Nunn-McCurdy review. President Donald Trump’s April 9 executive order, Modernizing Defense Acquisitions and Spurring Innovation in the Defense Industrial Base, speaks of cancellations of Major Defense […]

  • Wrap up: Oak Ridge disposes of 50-year-old legacy waste; Ohio lawmakers send EnergySec letter; Trump extends hiring freeze; Appropriations chair says ‘skinny budget’ incoming

    The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management and contractor UCOR recently finished removing legacy radioactive waste that was stored at the site for more than 50 years, according to a DOE press release. The material was used by Oak Ridge in the 1970s for experiments for scientists to understand the makeup of the atomic nucleus. […]

  • Delaware lawmakers explore nuclear task force with new bill

    Delaware lawmakers have proposed new legislation to establish a task force that will study nuclear energy and possible small modular reactor deployment in the state. In the bill, Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 18, the task force will be tasked with multiple roles such as to assess the logistics of deploying SMRs in Delaware, to assess […]

  • Coming up:

    Here are events related to nuclear matters that Exchange Monitor staff are tracking: 16: Meeting: The Energy Technology and Environmental Business Association kicks off a two-day meeting on New Mexico Federal Business Opportunities starting at 8 a.m. Mountain Time at the Hilton Buffalo Thunder Resort in Santa Fe.  22: Conference: Energy Communities Alliance holds new […]

  • Wrap Up: Danly advances; Russia won’t replace New START; House passes compromise budget resolution; Solicitations

    The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 13 to 7 Wednesday to advance the nomination of James Danly to be deputy secretary of energy. The Danly nomination to be the No. 2 official in the Department of Energy can now go to the full Senate for a confirmation vote. No date for such a […]

  • Texas lawmakers push for advanced nuclear deployment

    Texas lawmakers have proposed a bill that promotes advanced nuclear deployment across the state. House Bill 14, authored by Texas Rep. Cody Harris (R), would create the Texas Advanced Nuclear Deployment Office and Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Program. Harris proposed $2 billion to fund the deployment office. The state House’s State Affairs Committee passed the […]

  • Real money: Administration planning $1 trillion defense budget request

    President Donald Trump said Monday his administration’s forthcoming defense budget proposal will have a topline of around $1 trillion, a record first for the Pentagon. “$1 trillion and nobody’s seen anything like it,” Trump said in remarks from the Oval Office. In an email to investors, a TD Cowen analyst noted that while the majority […]

  • Amid layoff anxiety, more DOE buyouts loom

    With key Democrats denouncing any possible mass firings at the Department of Energy, the deadline is before midnight April 8 for DOE staff to opt into the latest round of voluntary buyouts. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) said April 4 they are troubled by reports by Associated Press and other media […]

  • Supreme Court blocks district judge injunction for probationary employees

    In a Tuesday emergency order, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked a preliminary injunction by a U.S. District Judge in California ordering federal agencies including the Department of Energy to rehire 16,000 probationary employees. Also, the Associated Press reported this week that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit voted two-to-one to overturn a […]

  • Amid layoff anxiety, more DOE buyouts loom

    With key Democrats denouncing any possible mass firings at the Department of Energy, the deadline was before midnight April 8 for DOE staff to opt into the latest round of voluntary buyouts. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) said April 4 they are troubled by reports by Associated Press and other media […]

  • Supreme Court blocks district judge injunction for probationary employees

    In a Tuesday emergency order, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked a preliminary injunction by a U.S. District Judge in California ordering federal agencies including the Department of Energy to rehire 16,000 probationary employees. Also, the Associated Press reported this week that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit voted two-to-one to overturn a […]

  • Senate Energy votes to confirm Danly

    The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 13 to 7 Wednesday to advance the nomination of James Danly to be deputy secretary of energy. The Danly nomination to be the No. 2 official in the Department of Energy can now go to the full Senate for a confirmation vote. No date for such a […]

  • Trump order targets Sentinel, other major defense acquisition programs

    In a series of executive orders released Wednesday, President Donald Trump said any major defense acquisition program 15% over cost could be cancelled. “[A]ny program more than 15 percent behind schedule based on the current Acquisition Program Baseline (APB), 15 percent over cost based on the current APB, unable to meet any key performance parameters, […]

  • Senate Energy votes to confirm Danly

    The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 13 to 7 Wednesday to advance the nomination of James Danly to be deputy secretary of energy. The Danly nomination to be the No. 2 official in the Department of Energy can now go to the full Senate for a confirmation vote. No date for such a […]

  • Supreme Court blocks district judge injunction for probationary employees

    In a Tuesday emergency order, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked a preliminary injunction by a U.S. District Judge in California ordering federal agencies including the Department of Energy to rehire 16,000 probationary employees. The March 13, preliminary injunction entered by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California is stayed pending the […]

  • Real money: Administration planning $1 trillion defense budget request

    President Donald Trump said Monday his administration’s forthcoming defense budget proposal will have a topline of around $1 trillion, a record first for the Pentagon. “$1 trillion and nobody’s seen anything like it,” Trump said in remarks from the Oval Office. In an email to investors, a TD Cowen analyst noted that while the majority […]

  • Senate Energy to vote on No. 2 DOE exec, more

    The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is scheduled to vote Wednesday morning on the nomination of James Danly to be deputy secretary of energy. Danly, nominated by President Donald Trump on Jan. 22 to be the second-ranking person at the Department of Energy, told the committee last week if confirmed he would try to […]

  • Indiana plans nuclear retreat this summer

    With Indiana looking to encourage nuclear power projects, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun (R) announced Monday the state of Indiana will host an informational retreat on the issue. The retreat is sponsored by the Department of Energy and National Governors Association and will be held this summer. No specific date has been set.  The goals of […]

  • Amid layoff anxiety, signup deadline looms for voluntary DOE exits

    With key Democrats denouncing any possible mass firings at the Department of Energy, the deadline is before midnight Tuesday for DOE staff to opt into the latest round of voluntary buyouts. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) said Friday they are troubled by reports by Associated Press and other media of possible […]

  • Senate Armed Services to hear from NNSA nominee

    The Senate Armed Services Committee will hear testimony Tuesday morning from President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Energy’s semi-autonomous National Nuclear Security Administration. Brandon Williams, the administration’s nominee to be undersecretary of energy for nuclear security, is one of four nominees scheduled to testify during a confirmation hearing Tuesday to start at […]

  • Coming Up:

    Here are events related to nuclear matters that Exchange Monitor staff are tracking: 08: Hearing: Senate Armed Services holds a confirmation hearing on National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) nominee Brandon Williams starting at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time..  16: Meeting: The Energy Technology and Environmental Business Association kicks off a two-day meeting on New Mexico Federal […]

  • Wrap Up: Senate GOP has budget plan; Amentum sets earnings call; Fluor appoints top HR manager; EM posts org chart; Johnston dies

    The Senate on Wednesday afternoon unveiled its updated budget resolution that sets a blueprint for passing Trump administration priorities, retaining a proposal to boost defense spending by $150 billion. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), chair of the Budget Committee, said President Trump is “fully on board” with the upper chamber’s new resolution, which also includes raising […]