U.S. Nuclear Employees Furloughed Amid Government Shutdown Concerns

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Tuesday, October 21st, 2025

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Los Angeles, October 20 – Approximately 1,400 employees of the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) have received furlough notices as the federal government shutdown approaches its third week, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announced Monday.
Speaking at the Nevada National Security Site in North Las Vegas, Wright noted that the agency’s funding to pay workers has ended, marking the first furlough in the NNSA’s 25-year history. Fewer than 400 federal employees remain on duty, according to the Department of Energy.
“The humans working on it are critical. We need to open the federal government as quickly as we can,” Wright said, warning that extended shutdowns could also affect contractors, who may seek other employment.
Local media reported that more than 3,000 contractors in Nevada could be impacted. Experts have expressed concern that such furloughs may delay modernization efforts and testing, and could pose risks to public safety and national security.
The NNSA, part of the Department of Energy, is responsible for maintaining the U.S. nuclear arsenal and safeguarding national security through nuclear science applications.