ICYMI: Murray Releases Fact Sheet on Trump’s Mass Firings Across Government
Washington, DC — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair and Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development Ranking Member, and Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, issued the following statement in response to reports regarding thousands of probationary employee firings across the Department of Energy, including employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The Members are demanding an immediate briefing to Congress by Secretary Chris Wright.
“We are alarmed about the thousands of probationary employee firings across the Department of Energy. The efforts to fire employees of the National Nuclear Security Administration are shocking. To order the firing of employees without knowing that NNSA is responsible for maintaining a safe, secure, and reliable nuclear weapons stockpile while also preventing, countering, and responding to a terrorist or other adversary with a nuclear or radiological device is utterly callous and dangerous.
“While there have been reports that the Department has halted firings of NNSA employees, we remain deeply troubled that the Department has not reversed course on firing the rest of the Department’s probationary employees, and that those entrusted with nuclear security and safety were relieved of their duties at all–furthermore, we are now hearing disturbing news reports that fired nuclear safety employees whose dismissals were meant to be reversed cannot be contacted.
“We find it deeply troubling that the Department—in standing firm in the decision to fire of hundreds of employees at the Office of Environmental Management despite walking back layoffs at NNSA—has sent a strong message that it does not view the oversight and safety of legacy nuclear weapons cleanup sites as a national security priority.
“Further, there are at least 1800 federal workers, across the rest of the Department who are vital to the Department’s other missions supporting energy independence, lowering energy prices, and ensuring grid reliability, that were permanently fired. Several energy programs were decimated, including one that sends checks to households to reduce energy costs for everyday Americans. Reducing energy costs is an issue this Administration has allegedly prioritized, and yet their actions yesterday say otherwise. Secretary Wright must brief Congress immediately on the Department’s actions and how that impacts its abilities to perform functions vital to its mission.
“Until such time as we are briefed on these developments, we will not know the damage to our country and the world as a result of these haphazard and thoughtless firings. We strongly suggest your administration pay far closer attention to the work carried out by the federal employees subject to these seemingly indiscriminate and arbitrary layoffs. We are committed to ensuring that the Department of Energy is allowed to continue the missions which they have been entrusted to carry out for our safety, security, and to help lower energy costs.”
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