Vol. 29, No. 7

Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile

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, […]
  • National Laboratories

    Lawmakers overseeing DOE labs cite security concerns with mass firings

    WASHINGTON — Senators from the Energy and Natural Resources committee said Thursday the Donald Trump administration firing so many National Nuclear Security Administration employees, even while reversing most, presents a national security risk. “President Trump is doing exactly what our adversaries want,” Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources committee […]

  • Budget & Policy

    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 […]

  • Delivery Systems & Nuclear Triad

    AFGSC holds test of unarmed Minuteman III

    U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command said Wednesday it conducted a routine reliability flight test of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile at 1 a.m. Pacific time from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. As in previous tests, the reentry vehicle traveled about 4,200 miles to the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command’s Ronald […]

  • Budget & Policy

    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 […]

  • Budget & Policy

    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 […]

  • Naval Nuclear Propulsion

    BWXT announces $2.1 billion in naval nuclear reactor contracts

    Lynchburg, Va.-based BWX Technologies has been awarded U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program contracts, worth a total of $2.1 billion, to manufacture reactor components, the company announced Wednesday.  The BWXT Nuclear Operations Group will manufacture naval nuclear reactor components and procure materials for Columbia and Virginia-class submarines, according to the company’s press release. The lifespan of […]

  • Contracts & Procurement

    Fluor reports strong results for fourth quarter, full-year 2024

    Earnings rose at Fluor, Irving, Texas, in the fourth quarter as well as for the full year ended Dec. 31, 2024, which the company attributed Tuesday to projects ranging from data centers to Department of Energy nuclear cleanup. The numbers were also affected by the “equity method” of accounting for Fluor’s investment and “de-consolidation” from […]

  • Contracts & Procurement

    Parsons touts big fourth quarter, full 2024 earnings

    Earnings rose at Parsons, Chantilly, Va., in the fourth quarter and the full year of 2024, the company reported early Wednesday. Net earnings for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31 were $54 million or $ $0.49 a share, up from $49 million, or $0.39 a share, in the year-ago quarter. Quarterly revenue was $1.7 billion […]

  • Budget & Policy

    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 […]

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