GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN EXTENDS PAST FIRST DAY

By ExchangeMonitor

It appeared to be largely business as usual for workers across the DOE complex yesterday as the government entered the first day of a shutdown, though some contractors that remained at work continued to take steps to weather the storm. At Los Alamos National Laboratory, for instance, laboratory leaders directed managers to curtail all but the most essential spending, including restrictions on travel and hiring, according to lab spokesman Fred deSousa. Otherwise, the lab was operating “as normal,” deSousa said. For its part, in Congress, during the shutdown’s first day Republicans and Democrats traded proposals—and barbs—to end the stalemate and pass a stopgap funding measure, including a failed effort by House Republicans to pass three smaller appropriations bills, but there was little progress made, and no end to the deadlock in sight.

While hundreds of DOE’s federal employees reported to work yesterday to close out their work, contractors at various sites prepared to continue operating with carryover funds, though the NNSA and contractors have refused to say how long the money will last. Jennifer Talhelm, a spokesman for Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) said Los Alamos would be able to stay open for “at least about a week” and that Sandia National Laboratories could make due for approximately 30 days by temporarily reassigning some staff to other appropriate projects. The NNSA did not respond to a request for comment yesterday. deSousa said at LANL, the funding varies from program to program. “We don’t want to put a certain time on it because it varies by program,” he said.

Lynda Seaver, a spokeswoman at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, said no new guidance had been issued by the lab and that it was operating as normal. “Nothing has really changed for us. We’re going to continue to remain open. We’re going to be working during the course of the shutdown with DOE on a regular basis. … That could change on a week-to-week basis. Right now for this week and beyond we’re going to continue working,” she said.

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