The federal government was set to shut down just past midnight Wednesday after the Senate failed to reach 60 votes on a stopgap bill to keep agencies open and funding flowing through Nov. 21.
The upper chamber voted 55-45 on a Republican-led bill that needed a three-fifths majority to pass. Two Democrats, Sens. John Fetterman (Penn.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.) voted with Republicans. Independent Angus King (Maine) also voted with Republicans for the bill. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was the only Republican who voted with Democrats against the bill.
Spokespeople at a couple of Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management field offices either said they have not received publicly-available contingency plans, or directed reporter inquiries to DOE communications headquarters in Washington, D.C. Spokespeople at the National Nuclear Security Administration did the same.
DOE’s document “Operating in the event of a lapse in appropriations,” last updated in December 2024, says NNSA would continue operations using available balances until expired, and “upon exhaustion of all available balances” to only continue functions essential and exempt from shutdown related to “safety of human life.”
The Department of Defense (now named the Department of War by the White House), released its own contingency plan for how it will operate in the event of a shutdown. Included in exceptions is any response to emergencies that would affect nuclear reactor safety or nuclear weapons.