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.

  • Ranking appropriations Dems demand DOE briefing on layoffs

    Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) issued a joint statement demanding an immediate briefing on the firings in the Department of Energy by its secretary Chris Wright. “While there have been reports that the Department has halted firings of NNSA [National Nuclear Security Administration] employees, we remain deeply troubled that the Department […]

  • Wrap up: Senate adopts budget and awaits House; Los Alamos SWEIS comment period extended; HASC requests identifying “obsolete” weapons systems; more

    The Senate adopted its budget blueprint 52-48 overnight Thursday into Friday in a colloquially-dubbed “vote-a-rama” to pass a $340 billion plan to boost energy production, the military and immigration. President Donald Trump on Wednesday endorsed the House GOP’s budget resolution proposal that would take a one-bill, all-encompassing approach to passing administration priorities, to include $100 […]

  • ECA supports Garrish nomination for DOE Nuclear Energy

    The Energy Communities Alliance Wednesday urged the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to advance the nomination of longtime Department of Energy hand Theodore (Ted) Garrish to lead the agency’s Office of Nuclear Energy. “ECA has worked with Mr. Garrish for over 30 years,” said the Energy Communities Alliance (ECA), which represents local governments where […]

  • SASC chair supports Hegseth’s budget review, plan to cut, re-prioritize billions

    The Republican chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee Thursday voiced support for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s plan to “review the entire budget” at the Pentagon to find about $50 billion that can be cut and shifted to President Donald Trump’s priorities. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) spoke following the Pentagon’s confirmation on Wednesday evening that […]

  • Top Senate defense appropriator McConnell won’t seek reelection in 2026

    WASHINGTON — Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the upper chamber’s top defense appropriator, said Thursday he will not seek reelection in 2026. McConnell will end his four-decade career after having served as the longest-tenured Senate leader in U.S. history, a role he stepped down from ahead of the current Congress and as he took over as […]

  • After backlash, White House seeks to reverse most NNSA terminations

    WASHINGTON — The Donald Trump administration paused on firing hundreds of federal employees that worked on the nation’s nuclear weapons for the Department of Energy’s semi-autonomous National Nuclear Security Administration, media outlets reported. Late last Thursday Feb 13, over 300 of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) 1,800 employees were fired, including all probationary employees, […]

  • Ranking appropriations Dems demand DOE briefing on layoffs

    Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) issued a joint statement demanding an immediate briefing on the firings in the Department of Energy by its secretary Chris Wright. “While there have been reports that the Department has halted firings of NNSA [National Nuclear Security Administration] employees, we remain deeply troubled that the Department […]

  • After backlash, White House reverses most NNSA terminations

    The Donald Trump administration paused on firing hundreds of federal employees that worked on the nation’s nuclear weapons for the Department of Energy’s semi-autonomous National Nuclear Security Administration, media outlets reported. Late last Thursday, over 300 of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) 1,800 employees were fired, including all probationary employees, through Trump’s Department of […]

  • Mass terminations hit NNSA this week, probationary employees laid off

    As the Donald Trump administration moves ahead with its agenda to shrink the federal workforce, roughly one-sixth of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s staff was terminated Thursday. According to NPR, who broke the story Thursday, 300 of the agency’s 1,800 staff were fired.  The Department of Energy, of which the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) […]

  • Judge unblocks deferred retirement ‘fork,’ OPM closes program

    On the same day a federal district judge in Massachusetts lifted his earlier restraining  order against the Donald Trump administration’s deferred retirement program for government workers, the Office of Personnel Management closed out the program. “The Deferred Resignation Program is now closed,” according to a notice Wednesday on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website. […]

  • DOGE employees gain access to DOE nuclear weapons programs, news outlets report

    Multiple media sites reported over the weekend that members of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency started working at the Department of Energy without security clearances. Chris Wright, the newly-confirmed Secretary of Energy, told CNBC Feb. 7  that three members of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) “have access to look around, talk to people […]

  • Livermore director says office closed due to executive order ending DEI

    Kim Budil, director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, said Wednesday the lab closed an office due to President Donald Trump’s executive order ending “diversity, equity, and inclusion” programs in the federal government. “We did have an office that we closed,” Budil said at a hearing by the House Science, Space and Technology subcommittee […]

  • Mass terminations hit NNSA this week, all probationary employees fired

    As the Donald Trump administration moves ahead with its agenda to shrink the federal workforce, roughly one-sixth of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s staff was terminated Thursday. According to NPR, who broke the story Thursday, 300 of the agency’s 1,800 staff were fired.  The Department of Energy, of which the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) […]

  • Judge unblocks deferred retirement ‘fork,’ OPM closes program

    On the same day a federal district judge in Massachusetts lifted his earlier restraining  order against the Donald Trump administration’s deferred retirement program for government workers, the Office of Personnel Management closed out the program. “The Deferred Resignation Program is now closed,” according to a notice Wednesday on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website. […]

  • Judge unblocks deferred retirement ‘fork,’ OPM closes program

    On the same day a federal district judge in Massachusetts lifted his earlier restraining  order against the Donald Trump administration’s deferred retirement program for government workers, the Office of Personnel Management closed out the program. “The Deferred Resignation Program is now closed,” according to a notice Wednesday on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website. […]

  • Livermore director says office closed due to executive order ending DEI

    Kim Budil, director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, said Wednesday the lab closed an office due to President Donald Trump’s executive order ending “diversity, equity, and inclusion” programs in the federal government. “We did have an office that we closed,” Budil said at a hearing by the House Science, Space and Technology subcommittee […]

  • Federal judge to again extend White House “fork” deadline

    A federal district judge in Massachusetts will continue to hold up the White House’s planned deferred resignation program for federal employees. CNN and other news outlets reported Monday evening that U.S. District judge George O’Toole, Jr. said from the bench he plans to issue a temporary restraining order blocking the latest deadline for President Donald […]

  • House subcommittee on energy to hear from DOE lab directors

    The House Committee on Science, Space and Technology’s subcommittee on energy will hear from four Department of Energy lab directors on the labs’ ongoing research programs. The subcommittee hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time in the Rayburn House Office Building, room 2318.  The witnesses include: Kim Budil, director of […]

  • Senate GOP’s budget blueprint for reconciliation has $150B for defense

    Senate Republicans on Friday unveiled a budget resolution that sets a blueprint for passing President Donald Trump’s policy priorities via the reconciliation process, to include adding $150 billion in defense funds over four years. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), chair of the Senate Budget Committee, detailed the proposal that also calls for $175 billion in homeland […]

  • Judge sets hearing on “fork” buyouts; Murray balks as exodus rumors spread

    Staffers at the Department of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other agencies now have the weekend to consider taking up the Donald Trump administration offer on buyouts, as a federal judge will hear arguments Monday on the deferred resignation program. The Thursday ruling from U.S. District judge George O’Toole, Jr. in Massachusetts held up the […]

  • Judge sets hearing on “fork” buyouts; Murray balks as exodus rumors spread

    Staffers at the Department of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other agencies now have the weekend to consider taking up the Donald Trump administration offer on buyouts, as a federal judge will hear arguments Monday on the deferred resignation program. The Thursday ruling from U.S. District judge George O’Toole, Jr. in Massachusetts held up the […]

  • Energy nerd Wright hits nuclear themes with DOE staff

    The day after being sworn in as secretary of energy, self-described nerd Chris Wright said updating the U.S. nuclear arsenal, increasing civilian nuclear power and cleaning up Manhattan Project sites are among his priorities at the Department of Energy. It is vital to “modernize America’s nuclear stockpile,” Wright told DOE staffers during a Wednesday introductory […]

  • DOE vet Ted Garrish tapped by Trump to lead nuclear energy office

    President Donald Trump has nominated a veteran federal executive Theodore (Ted) Garrish to be the Department of Energy’s assistant secretary for nuclear energy. Garrish has been assistant secretary for nuclear power previously, and has generally been a fixture around DOE and the nuclear energy circuit for more than three decades, according to his bio. His […]

  • Energy nerd Wright hits nuclear themes with DOE staff

    The day after being sworn in as secretary of energy, self-described nerd Chris Wright said updating the U.S. nuclear arsenal, increasing civilian nuclear power and cleaning up Manhattan Project sites are among his priorities at the Department of Energy. It is vital to “modernize America’s nuclear stockpile,” Wright told DOE staffers during a Wednesday introductory […]

  • Energy nerd Wright hits nuclear themes with DOE staff

    The day after being sworn in as secretary of energy, self-described nerd Chris Wright said updating the U.S. nuclear arsenal, increasing civilian nuclear power and cleaning up Manhattan Project sites are among his priorities at the Department of Energy. It is vital to “modernize America’s nuclear stockpile,” Wright told DOE staffers during a Wednesday introductory […]

  • Wright confirmed as secretary of energy, winning support of 59 senators

    The Senate voted 59-to-38 Monday evening to confirm Chris Wright as the 17th secretary of energy. Wright is CEO and founder of Liberty Energy, a publicly-traded company that provides services and technology to the oil and natural gas industry. Wright’s confirmation was expected given he was not considered one of the more controversial picks so […]

  • Wright confirmed as secretary of energy, winning support of 59 senators

    The Senate voted 59-to-38 Monday evening to confirm Chris Wright as the 17th secretary of energy. Wright is CEO and founder of Liberty Energy, a publicly-traded company that provides services and technology to the oil and natural gas industry. Wright’s confirmation was expected given he was not considered one of the more controversial picks so […]

  • Wright confirmed as secretary of energy, winning support of 59 senators

    The Senate voted 59-to-38 Monday evening to confirm Chris Wright as the 17th secretary of energy. Wright is CEO and founder of Liberty Energy, a publicly-traded company that provides services and technology to the oil and natural gas industry. Wright’s confirmation was expected given he was not considered one of the more controversial picks so […]

  • Fitzsimmons appointed DOE staff chief

    Alex Fitzsimmons, who previously held executive jobs at the Department of Energy and the private sector has been appointed DOE chief of staff under Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. Fitzsimmons announced his chief of staff job last week on his LinkedIn page and introduced Wright Wednesday morning when the energy secretary gave his first address […]

  • Energy nerd Wright hits nuclear themes with DOE staff

    The day after being sworn in as secretary of energy, self-described nerd Chris Wright said updating the U.S. nuclear arsenal, increasing civilian nuclear power and cleaning up Manhattan Project sites are among his priorities at the Department of Energy. It is vital to “modernize America’s nuclear stockpile,” Wright told DOE staffers during a Wednesday introductory […]