Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile

The Government Accountability Office last week said the National Nuclear Security Administration could do more to develop a resiliency strategy to mitigate risks to its explosives supply chain, manufacturing and infrastructure. According to a report published March 12, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found 66 total risks, identified by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), […]

The Government Accountability Office said in a report last week that the National Nuclear Security Administration “does not clearly communicate” its needs to Congress on risks to its industrial base. The industrial base includes the supply chain, facilities, transportation and workforce “that combine to maintain the stockpile,” the highlights of the report said. Teresa Robbins, […]

The National Nuclear Security Administration partnered with other government agencies to conduct an exercise on how a team would gather evidence to support the president make decisions in a nuclear attack scenario. The Prominent Hunt exercise series, which the recent exercise was part of, took place Jan. 26 to 31 around Schenectady, N.Y., the Pentagon […]

The National Nuclear Security Administration partnered with other government agencies to conduct an exercise on how a team would gather evidence to support the president make decisions in a nuclear attack scenario. The Prominent Hunt exercise series, which the recent exercise was part of, took place Jan. 26 to 31 around Schenectady, N.Y., the Pentagon […]

WASHINGTON — Teresa Robbins, acting administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, told the Exchange Monitor Tuesday that everyone whose firing was rescinded at the agency was successfully contacted and has returned to work. Robbins spoke to the Monitor on the sidelines of a panel on Capitol Hill hosted by Washington forum Advanced Nuclear Weapons […]

Chris Wright, the newly confirmed Secretary of Energy, visited Los Alamos National Laboratory this week on his nationwide tour of the national laboratories and touted artificial intelligence as “the next Manhattan project” in a post on the website X. “More than 70 years ago, the Manhattan Project brought together the world’s greatest scientists and engineers […]

WASHINGTON — Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), whose district abuts Y-12 National Security Complex and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, said Tuesday the nuclear enterprise was facing a “workforce shortage.” Fleischmann, who chairs a House Appropriations subcommittee on Energy & Water, also told the Exchange Monitor Tuesday recent layoffs at the Oak Ridge Site in Tennessee were […]

The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board recently welcomed Secretary of Energy Chris Wright to the weapons complex with a summary of safety issues including waste drums and transportation. “On behalf of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB), I extend our warmest congratulations and welcome you to this pivotal role,” DNFSB Acting Chair Thomas Summers […]

Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), who represent the Department of Energy’s Nevada National Security Site, last week sought details on recent terminations of personnel at DOE and the National Nuclear Security Administration. The Nevada lawmakers issued a statement and letter to Energy Secretary Chris Wright and acting National Nuclear Security Administration […]

The Defense Department last week said it expects to cut its civilian workforce between 5-8%, adding that beginning this week it will start to lay off 5,400 probationary workers followed by a hiring freeze.  The department is “re-evaluating our probationary workforce” as it complies with President Donald Trump’s direction for a more efficient and productive […]

WASHINGTON — Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), whose district abuts Y-12 National Security Complex and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, said Tuesday the nuclear enterprise was facing a “workforce shortage.” Fleischmann, who chairs a House Appropriations subcommittee on Energy & Water, also told the Exchange Monitor Tuesday recent layoffs at the Oak Ridge Site in Tennessee were […]

WASHINGTON — Teresa Robbins, acting administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, told the Exchange Monitor Tuesday that everyone whose firing was rescinded at the agency was successfully contacted and has returned to work. Robbins spoke to the Monitor on the sidelines of a panel on Capitol Hill hosted by Washington forum Advanced Nuclear Weapons […]

The prime contractor for the Department of Energy’s Pantex nuclear weapons plant near Amarillo, Texas is in the market for a subcontractor to provide three “canine detection teams” capable of sniffing out explosives, according to an online procurement notice. BWX Technologies-led PanTeXas Deterrence, the DOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) management contractor, posted the notice […]

The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board recently welcomed Secretary of Energy Chris Wright to the weapons complex with a summary of safety issues including waste drums and transportation. “On behalf of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB), I extend our warmest congratulations and welcome you to this pivotal role,” DNFSB Acting Chair Thomas Summers […]

The congressional nuclear security working group, chaired by Reps. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) and Bill Foster (D-Ill.), will host a panel discussion with Bechtel and the Advanced Nuclear Weapons Alliance Deterrence Center on the Capitol Tuesday. Gen. Thomas Bussiere, commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., will give the […]

The Defense Department last week said it expects to cut its civilian workforce between 5-8%, adding that beginning this week it will start to lay off 5,400 probationary workers followed by a hiring freeze.  The department is “re-evaluating our probationary workforce” as it complies with President Donald Trump’s direction for a more efficient and productive […]

Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), who represent the Department of Energy’s Nevada National Security Site, Friday sought details on recent terminations of personnel at DOE and the National Nuclear Security Administration. The Nevada lawmakers issued a statement and letter to Energy Secretary Chris Wright and acting National Nuclear Security Administration Administrator […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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) […]

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 […]

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) […]

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 Friday that three members of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) “have access to look around, talk to people and […]

The Government Accountability Office said Thursday the National Nuclear Security Administration is still not doing enough to monitor its $200-billion procurement program. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in a news release for its report that the agency did not follow leading agency reform practices, including “establishing processes to collect data and monitor progress, as […]

The National Nuclear Security Administration was to conduct low-altitude helicopter flights Sunday through Thursday, Feb. 2-6 this week over New Orleans, La. ahead of the Super Bowl on Feb. 9, the agency said in a press release last week. The agency’s Nuclear Emergency Support Team now uses a Leonardo AW-139 helicopter equipped with radiation technology […]

President Donald Trump has tapped Scott Pappano and Matthew Napoli to be the National Nuclear Security Administration’s principal deputy administrator and deputy administrator for defense nuclear nonproliferation, respectively. The nominations require Senate confirmation.  Both Pappano and Napoli were received by the Senate Armed Services Committee Monday. A date for a confirmation hearing for either has […]

With the retirement of chair Joyce Connery on Friday, the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) is down to two members and no longer has a quorum. The five-member panel with a mission to provide independent safety analysis and advice to the Department of Energy, now has only two members: Acting Chair Thomas Summers and […]

President Donald Trump has tapped Scott Pappano and Matthew Napoli to be the National Nuclear Security Administration’s principal deputy administrator and deputy administrator for defense nuclear nonproliferation, respectively. The nominations require Senate confirmation.  Both Pappano and Napoli were received by the Senate Armed Services Committee Monday. A date for a confirmation hearing for either has […]

ARLINGTON, Va. — The scheduled rebaselining process is done at the Uranium Processing Facility at Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tenn., an agency official told the Exchange Monitor here Monday. The Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) is the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) next-generation factory for nuclear-weapons secondary stages. Audrey Beldio, principal assistant deputy […]