Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), who represent the Department of Energy’s Nevada National Security Site, last week sought details on recent terminations of personnel at DOE and the National Nuclear Security Administration.
The Nevada lawmakers issued a statement and letter to Energy Secretary Chris Wright and acting National Nuclear Security Administration Administrator Theresa Robbins on Friday, Feb. 21.
“Given the NNSA’s role maintaining and modernizing the American nuclear stockpile, largely done at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS),” the senators expressed “grave concern that the chaotic terminations could harm American national security,” the statement said.
Over in the other chamber, over 100 House democrats are similarly blasting the administration and Wright over the DOE firings and what they call “stunning incompetence” in a letter published Wednesday and led by Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.).
Cortez Masto alluded to her letter when speaking to the Exchange Monitor in the halls of the Capitol last Thursday, Feb. 20. “I want answers and that’s why I’m sending a letter,” she said, adding she wanted answers specifically on “exactly who was fired and what is going on.”
In the letter, Rosen and Masto asked for the total number of NNSA employees fired, any additional rounds of firing planned, the positions and responsibilities, the number successfully rehired, how the hiring freeze affects NNSA’s mission, and “a detailed assessment on how these firings and then rehirings” affect “future recruitment” at the agency. The Senators also asked for the stats to include those in Nevada specifically.
“NNSA personnel possess highly specialized expertise that is not easily replaceable, and any disruption to their work could have far-reaching consequences for U.S. national security and global nuclear stability,” according to the lawmakers letter. There is no word from the Senators or the DOE on whether a briefing has been set up yet.
Late Thursday Feb. 13, over 300 of NNSA’s 1,800 employees were fired, including all probationary employees, through President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Around 24 hours later, Robbins sent out a memo to affected employees that “effective immediately,” the “termination decision issued” on Feb. 13 “has been rescinded,” according to the memo viewed by the Monitor.
Cortez Masto and Rosen added “there are reports the NNSA is now attempting to rehire the terminated employees but has been unable to contact some of them.”
In addition to the Nevada Democrats in Congress, Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), who oversees Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, pressed the DOE and other departments for an archivist to document any and all communications with DOGE.“There must be transparency and accountability as Elon Musk and his quasi-official cronies undergo a lawless radical restructuring and termination of government employees, programs and whole agencies,” Heinrich said in a statement in mid-February.
