1400 employees laid off at NASA due to government shutdown

Approximately 1,400 employees of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) were laid off due to the partial shutdown of the federal government in the United States. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

This was announced by Energy Secretary Chris Wright at a press conference held in Nevada. According to the Secretary, these layoffs represent 80 percent of the agency's staff and will seriously affect the maintenance and modernization of America's nuclear arsenal.

Chris Wright described the situation as unprecedented. Currently, the Department of Energy is retaining jobs for nearly 100,000 contract workers.

However, if budget issues continue, these specialists may also lose their jobs. This poses a serious threat not only to tens of thousands of people and their families but also to national security.

Why did this situation occur? Since October 1, the federal agencies' activities were partially halted because the U.S. Congress failed to approve a new budget.

This situation arose due to disagreements between Republicans and Democrats over healthcare and social spending. According to U.S. laws, during a government shutdown, only services necessary for life and safety continue.

Salaries are paid once budget issues are resolved. Government shutdowns are not a new phenomenon in the United States.

Since 1977, such situations have been recorded more than 20 times. The longest government shutdown occurred in 2018–2019 and lasted 35 days.

These events negatively impact the country's economy and the lives of its citizens.