US agency overseeing nuclear stockpile to layoff staff as shutdown continuess

The US agency that oversees the country’s nuclear stockpile will temporarily lay off about 1,400 of its employees as the government shutdown enters its 20th day.

Fewer than 400 employees will remain after the furloughs at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a semi-autonomous agency within the US Department of Energy, officials told US media.

The department is tasked with improving national security by safeguarding the US’ nuclear stockpile and preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons across the globe.

The NNSA has never furloughed workers before since its establishment in 2000. “We are left with no choice this time,” spokesperson Ben Dietderich told US media.

“We’ve extended funding as long as we could,” he said.

Thousands of federal workers have been laid off after three weeks of a government shutdown, with the White House warning of further cuts if the government does not reopen.

The energy department said NNSA’s Office of Secure Transportation, responsible for transporting nuclear weapons, had enough funding to operate until 27 October.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright is expected to discuss the furloughs and shutdown during a news conference in Nevada on Monday.

In an interview last week, Wright said the US’ nuclear stockpile would remain secure, but said the furloughs would hamper efforts to modernise older weapons in the stockpile.

On Monday, the US Senate is again expected to vote on a measure already passed by the US House of Representatives to fund the government. The bill has failed to pass the Senate 10 times.

Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune is planning to introduce a bill this week to pay federal employees and military service members who are still working through the shutdown while not receiving their salaries.

Like military personnel, federal law enforcement officers are considered “essential” and are still expected to report for duty, even without pay.

Around 1.4 million federal employees are on unpaid leave or working without pay.

The shutdown came after Republicans and Democrats could not agree to pass a bill funding government services into October and beyond.

Democrats are pushing for a boost to healthcare funding – including tax credits that make health insurance cheaper for millions – in exchange for reopening the government.

Republicans have argued the health care issues should be handled separately from budget negotiations after the government is reopened.