Government Shutdown Must End for the Sake of America’s Nuclear Deterrent

Washington, D.C.— The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) today released the following statement from Ted Ellis, Campaign Director for Power America and Deputy Director for Energy & Environment, on the broader shutdown impact to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA):

“Because of the prolonged government shutdown, even America's nuclear security is operating under a squeeze. This shutdown has sidelined roughly 1,400 NNSA employees — nearly 80 percent of the agency — and left only about 400 on duty to oversee our nuclear stockpile. Those remaining workers are diligently keeping the stockpile safe and secure, but we should not be running America’s nuclear-weapons enterprise with four out of five people at home.

It is past time to drop the push for liberal policies like taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal aliens. Congress needs to reopen the government and put the American people, and the security of our nuclear deterrent, first.”