[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_25":26},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_27":28,"_29":30},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[31,74,86],{"_32":33,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":39,"_40":41,"_42":43,"_44":45,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":71,"_73":71},"mediaId",6230883,"mediaKeyId","3441840-c5134ec2488bc60cfffc8316de952423","parentId",3441840,"title","Senators warn DOE staffing cuts and freezes are slowing projects, threatening implementation","audioSeconds",1332,"startMs",1337000,"endMs",2669000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3441840-c5134ec2488bc60cfffc8316de952423&start=1337&end=2669","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3441840-c5134ec2488bc60cfffc8316de952423/thumbnail_1337000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6230883/Senators-warn-DOE-staffing-cuts-and-freezes-are-slowing-projects-threatening-implementation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6230883-89d7e09bcfbae372570702325534c30c/orig.mp4?Expires=1769980079&Signature=bMh8wor8hYiA5qcl06pL1IOvoXjdnL~TvHwEXIa-WJ2cA-UN0BashpbIb-KxJ9ebLnS-f8RyN56G2Ges1nAI7V4M2Z-Qbs5lDBnk0a99ZBwDyT8BdiPZf1HGlJczF-EGiRQ8grq3d46T7XL9AlZMWFft1EtW2kojO6iu4D8YWF-I2dMzuTG4eo2~RRvQmoNx5lqv1Gl8AxddAB~dYzM4GGf6rC4sTg6Jwxgx9n3bvvrQOz3Oqpv2aVPzFdwwzLe3fOz4v1VTKJNje04e2b9eRLMtp4L2srS~4d~YQ6HgaRkMuBVdT0OTKRMCqHtXt4o8i8ryMuL7vl0ISRskNkV5uw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations","date","2025-05-21T00:00:00Z","article","WASHINGTON — Lawmakers told Energy Secretary Chris Wright they are worried about implementation risks created by voluntary buyouts, probationary firings and a federal hiring freeze at the Department of Energy.

Senator Patty Murray said the department has lost ‘‘over 3,500 DOE employees’’ to a buyout program and ‘‘fired 500 more,’’ and described contract cancellations and staffing reductions as already harming communities. “The Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, which manages $20,000,000,000 in grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, lost more than 77% of its staff,” Murray said, adding that it will be “nearly impossible for that office to accomplish its basic functions” without staff.

Senators cited several examples where they said staffing and administrative uncertainty have delayed projects: grid resilience grants in Georgia that utilities have matched with private money, a federal grant to Bluebird Corporation to retool a Georgia factory for electric school buses, a Wisconsin company, Conovate, awaiting critical minerals accelerator funding, and small school HVAC projects in Oregon that cannot get contractor approvals.

Why it matters: Committee members said these disruptions threaten timely implementation of congressional appropriations and federal programs intended to strengthen grid reliability, scale advanced energy manufacturing, and accelerate domestic supply chains. Senator Ossoff told the secretary the uncertainty is creating private‑sector risk for projects that committed capital expecting federal support. Senator Merkley brought forward specific school district examples where contractors and project sponsors say they cannot reach DOE contacts to complete award requirements.

Wright said DOE is conducting a deliberate effort to “right‑size” the department and described the workforce reductions as part of a planned restructuring. He said some reviews are intended to ensure taxpayer money goes to credible projects, and that the department is trying to avoid approving buyouts in short‑staffed functions, particularly in power marketing administrations. On Bonneville specifically, Wright said operations are critical and the administration has worked to avoid disrupting power marketing agencies.

Several senators asked for immediate commitments to exempt mission‑critical functions from hiring freezes and to restore or replace staff where needed. The department said it would follow up on individual cases and requested senators provide specific contacts for unpaid invoices or stalled awards so staff can investigate.

The committee signaled it will continue oversight and may press for staffing minimums or other guardrails to ensure offices can meet statutory responsibilities.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Subcommittee Hearing: A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Department of Energy","oneSentenceSummary","Committee members raised alarms about buyouts, probationary firings and a hiring freeze at DOE that they say have hollowed out offices — notably the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations and Bonneville Power Administration — and delayed grants and projects for states and localities.","taxTitle","Appropriations: Senate Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1986,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_32":75,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":76,"_40":77,"_42":78,"_44":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":71,"_73":71},6230888,"Senate appropriators warn FY26 \"skinny\" budget would undercut DOE research and clean‑energy programs",101,1503000,1604000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3441840-c5134ec2488bc60cfffc8316de952423&start=1503&end=1604","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3441840-c5134ec2488bc60cfffc8316de952423/thumbnail_1503000.jpg","/articles/6230888/Senate-appropriators-warn-FY26-skinny-budget-would-undercut-DOE-research-and-cleanenergy-programs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6230888-131aad7eaaf423ab9d18c46c7ae238be/orig.mp4?Expires=1769980079&Signature=avFGsqDOf3clF5gPMAitSHanh5PAjik510iYuAwe7YRnRwrcBMoRa4xqKzRWOHmalbz63LNi74fwLGxsEkwlzP-2GRI0nkdm0MiperSLec~-hoscry7Gf67wndnrIClo0d6ERcYW2uQrOddgRiKc0tGyN~beaRrMcp0i2c90EzrguQ-2o8Ai~3aF8IncGlTqd~0ETqof0xWJCKnFeFIoSV9jux8Bd2nUPiJ16I8GfK-r4FQvYeqcWoPGm09fSTU-~tX000LIyVIGYIEsZCTLtcA9UcfewdgXEmbGSSKsun6TAG3TQvRmhxZTSKluAqsXupJZ0IjG5sqHtapiHffNmA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","WASHINGTON — At a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Energy Secretary Chris Wright defended the Trump administration’s fiscal year 2026 “skinny” budget, while several senators warned the proposed cuts would undermine U.S. research capacity, clean‑energy deployment and long‑running cleanup obligations.

Ranking Member Senator Patty Murray told Wright the budget “completely guts the nondefense half of your mission,” and accused the administration of proposing steep reductions to core programs. “Your budget proposes ripping 75% out of the energy efficiency and renewable energy program,” Murray said, and said the proposal would “slash $1,100,000,000 from the Office of Science” and cut roughly $15,000,000,000 in programs created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Why it matters: Senators framed the proposed reductions as inconsistent with stated administration goals to spur innovation, lower consumer energy costs, and strengthen U.S. competitiveness. Several members pointed to specific consequences: reduced research funding for AI, fusion and quantum computing; less support for hydrogen hubs, battery storage and advanced manufacturing; and the risk of delaying the Hanford high‑level waste mission if funding is held flat.

Wright said the request would “return DOE to its core mission” and prioritize affordable, reliable energy and nuclear stewardship. He argued the labs have “drifted into things that are not fundamental basic science” and that DOE can “be both increase efficiency and drive innovation.” On nuclear energy, Wright emphasized commercialization of advanced reactors and the Loan Program Office as a financing tool.

Senators pushed back on the message and the mechanics of the proposal. Senator Cooney urged the department to provide a full budget request beyond the single‑page “skinny” outline that committee staff had received, and asked how cuts to the Office of Science would not impede work on AI or quantum research. Wright said the labs’ top priorities would not be cut but did not provide a complete line‑item budget that day.

Several senators also warned that freezes, contract cancellations and staffing reductions at DOE have already slowed projects that Congress funded. Murray said the department had not supplied a required FY25 spending plan and accused the administration of “impoundment” if it withholds funds Congress has appropriated.

The hearing included repeated requests for more detailed budget documentation and for assurances that statutory cleanup milestones, including at Hanford, would not be delayed by flat or reduced funding. Wright told lawmakers DOE would follow law and review projects, but senators pressed for concrete accounting of programmatic impacts.

Next steps: The committee left the record open for additional questions for the record and said it expects a fuller budget submission and briefing materials. Several senators signaled they will seek more detailed line items and staffing information before advancing appropriations work.","Senators from both parties criticized the administration's proposed FY26 \"skinny\" budget for steep cuts to the Office of Science, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and programs created by recent laws, and raised concerns about Hanford cleanup funding and strategic priorities.",{"_32":87,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":88,"_40":89,"_42":90,"_44":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":71,"_73":71},6230892,"Senators press DOE on loan program after $93 billion in rapid commitments; Wright says review underway",3547,3273000,6820000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3441840-c5134ec2488bc60cfffc8316de952423&start=3273&end=6820","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3441840-c5134ec2488bc60cfffc8316de952423/thumbnail_3273000.jpg","/articles/6230892/Senators-press-DOE-on-loan-program-after-93-billion-in-rapid-commitments-Wright-says-review-underway","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6230892-0317d21e8167e6e67d4b65b4a816bd3c/orig.mp4?Expires=1769980079&Signature=k3ptM0YSkcLsZjHAefib-2et3HWjSfYzlpy0H-tbX4RvA3lVO9VVGwgs6gGY3p-R5eY4phcI6-gtNIdHiMYVa4GPg7CC3FkYahsuIY5M2Z4qvN5~VvEcDHE~FvyqRpI1g84axOvH7U3dbVQJz9jeiQl-53qBu8nK6TVElZzK0~LI1Ju932Tu2JtTclePUskgcySEH9D1dXQRU60GsMvylltmiQxd3A-RWYpIyX2FHHNdNRI5LAPhgWXs1AwggumBRvuJmE7a~w8Y2x-VkrJoxUu7dyRhkN8bGvJkWHQ4er2w1PPpEIfhfc54Qy5VG-t8FCbuJiArvHIezyml4uoUoA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","WASHINGTON — Senate appropriators pressed Energy Secretary Chris Wright on the Department of Energy’s handling of large loans and grants during a subcommittee hearing that repeatedly returned to a figure Wright cited: $93 billion in loans or commitments from the Loan Program Office during a 76‑day period around the 2020–2021 presidential transition.

The dispute centered on whether those rapid commitments were properly vetted and whether DOE should pause some awards while the department examines their business plans and financials. “In the 76 days from election day to inauguration day… the previous administration lent or committed $93,000,000,000,” Wright told the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and said the department is now “looking at that” and running reviews.

Why it matters: Senators said the speed and scale of commitments put taxpayer dollars at risk and have prompted reviews that, they warned, are delaying projects that local governments and companies planned around. Chair Senator Kennedy and several members described cases in which awards or expected federal funds have been held up, affecting state and private projects ranging from grid upgrades to manufacturing retooling.

Committee members focused on patterns they described as “half‑baked” proposals and weak documentation. “Why do you vet and do due diligence on a loan in 76 days?” Kennedy asked. Wright responded that some commitments lacked basic business plans or financial information and that the department must now “separate the wheat from the chaff.”

Several senators said the reviews are creating real costs for project sponsors who expected federal support. Senator Ossoff asked about grid‑upgrade grants that a state government had already planned with matching private capital; DOE told him those awards were under review and said the agency expects to finish reviews “this summer.” Senator Baldwin raised concerns about battery supply and manufacturing projects in Wisconsin that she said are waiting on paused funds.

Wright defended the broader Department of Energy mission and the Loan Program Office as tools to mobilize private capital, saying the office “led $43,000,000,000” over a 15‑year period and noting that a surge of commitments late in the prior administration required closer scrutiny. He said DOE is conducting “careful reviews” and will pursue both legitimate projects and, where appropriate, actions against improper uses of funds.

The hearing record will remain open for senators to submit additional questions and documents. Wright repeatedly invited lawmakers to bring specific unpaid‑invoice or grant problems to DOE’s attention so staff can follow up.

The subcommittee is expected to press for further documentation on the loan and grant reviews and for timetables on decisions affecting projects with already‑committed private capital.","At a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing, members pressed Energy Secretary Chris Wright over rapid loan and grant commitments the department made in a 76‑day period; Wright said DOE is reviewing awards and vetting projects for viability.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senators warn DOE staffing cuts and freezes are slowing projects, threatening implementation

Senate appropriators warn FY26 "skinny" budget would undercut DOE research and clean‑energy programs

Senators press DOE on loan program after $93 billion in rapid commitments; Wright says review underway