American Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Thursday that if the federal government shutdown continues, the maintenance and design agencies of the U.S. nuclear arsenal will begin forced unpaid leave as early as Friday. Wright warned during an interview with Bloomberg Television, "Starting tomorrow, no later than Monday, we will be unable to pay these employees' salaries. If the shutdown is prolonged, they may seek other jobs, and the modernization of the nuclear arsenal will be forced to stop. This concerns national sovereignty and is by no means a trivial matter." The affected agencies are the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) under the Department of Energy, which is responsible for the design, testing, and life extension programs of U.S. nuclear warheads. This shutdown has already caused some research and maintenance plans to be suspended. Wright emphasized that if funding is not restored soon, it will directly weaken the U.S. nuclear deterrence system and the security of the weapons.
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Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1846207273845835/
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