Keith’s note: the following was sent out to the NASA workforce today: “A Message From Acting Administrator Sean Duffy: Welcome Back NASA Team, Thank you for your dedication and resilience throughout the shutdown. From those who sustained mission-critical operations, to those who remained on call, to those who were furloughed, I appreciate your role in helping us continue NASA’s essential mission, even during a shutdown.”

Keith’s note: the following was sent out by NASA CIO Jeff Seaton to the OCIO workforce today: “OCIO, I want to personally thank those of you who supported the Agency in a variety of capacities during the shutdown and welcome back those of you who were unable to work. As this shutdown ends I appreciate your resilience and professionalism during this time. I know this has been challenging — both personally and professionally — and I appreciate the commitment you always show to this Agency and to public service. You are what makes NASA great.”

Keith’s note: According to an agencywide note to NASA employees: “A Message From Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya Anticipation of Resuming Normal Operations: NASA Team, In anticipation of the passage of a bill that will end the government forward to welcoming all staff back from furlough as early as tomorrow. Please watch NASA’s external website for confirmation. If your situation returning to work tomorrow, please discuss this with your supervisor. Sincerely, Amit Kshatriya NASA Associate Administrator”.

Keith’s note: According to a House Science Democrats press release: “Today, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) sent a letter to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Acting Administrator Sean Duffy demanding that NASA immediately halt plans to close and move laboratories and mission-critical facilities at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The Ranking Member states NASA must respond within 24 hours and emphasizes the threat these chaotic and veiled moves and closures, partially carried out during a government shutdown, pose for flagship NASA missions. Committee staff obtained new information late last week that Goddard has told staff additional facilities would need to be emptied by Wednesday, November 12.” More below plus full letter.

Keith’s note: Looks like the shutdown is over – for now. But it may take a week. And the House has to agree. And then a Senate vote on a Democratic bill in mid-December could start another shutdown. And either way this agreement evaporates at the end of January.

Keith’s note: According to “Administration hints furloughed workers may not be paid after shutdown” in the Washington Post: “The Trump administration is sending notifications to federal staff suggesting that only those who are working during the government shutdown will be paid when it ends, despite a 2019 law that also guarantees pay to furloughed employees.” You will recall my posting last week “Is NASA Pulling Back On Retroactive Pay?“ – “NASA folks are getting those new 30 day furlough notices. There is a significant difference in language from round 1 and round 2. The first round letter says you “WILL be receiving retroactive pay… ” In the second letter it says “IF you receive retroactive pay”. “Will” and “If” are not the same thing. In other words there is some doubt that everyone will get retroactive pay – right?”

Keith’s note: A report from a NASA Goddard employee: “I asked excepted people if they have seen any change in Building 36. A move has started and movers moved all of our belongings out from our offices, packed our stuff into boxes, and left it in conference rooms. We were told before that we’d be notified if we needed to move out of our office. Then we were told that there will be no move during the shutdown.” Other GSFC employees have mentioned moves that they were told were not supposed to happen during the shutdown.

Keith’s note: according to “NASA cuts dozens of Marshall Space Flight Center-based ISS jobs“ by WHNT Huntsville: “Congressman Robert Aderholt’s office confirmed NASA has cut dozens of International Space Station jobs based at Marshall Space Flight Center. Aderholt’s office said several dozen contract employees connected with ISS were let go Friday. They said this is part of the transition as NASA prepares to deorbit the ISS in 2030. Operations at MSFC with the ISS include communicating with astronauts to conduct experiments through the ISS Payload Operations Integration Center.”

Keith’s note: (to no one and everyone in particular. You decide.) In case you haven’t noticed under this Administration people have been fired for the use of one word. Its in the newspapers every day. Everyone is freaked out. I protect my sources and anonymize/edit things when I get them to assure that people (my sources) cannot be identified. Alas, some of you seem to be determined to out the sources or otherwise make it easier for my sources to be identified by paranoid NASA management. So, let me make this clear. I have zero tolerance for this. You will be blocked from commenting if you try. If you try to use other means to comment after I block you I will do my best to block your company/organization etc. from reading NASA Watch and explain why. Got that? (again) people in the civil servant and contractor community are freaked out enough as it is and I am trying to keep them informed while the government is shut down as well as when it is open. I will not be a party to ANYONE being fired or punished for speaking out. Ad Astra y’all.

Keith’s note: If you have been through a typical NASA design review then you know that words have meaning. As noted the other day (see NASA Email: Upcoming Second Formal Furlough Notice) NASA folks are getting those new 30 day furlough notices. There is a significant difference in language from round 1 and round 2. The first round letter says you “WILL be receiving retroactive pay …” In the second letter it says “IF you receive retroactive pay”. “Will” and “If” are not the same thing. In other words there is some doubt that everyone will get retroactive pay – right? You know this because NASA has an army of crack lawyers (who are all currently on furlough) who read these words very, very carefully – and always say what they mean and mean what they say, right? Sounds like someone may be slow rolling people out of retroactive pay. Exact text excerpts below.

Keith’s note: This is simply pathetic Sean Duffy. You clearly canot read the room Virtually your entire NASA workforce is shut out with no pay and you’d rather spend time worrying about a fellow reality TV star than them. Get a grip Dude. You were at White House and siad that you are worried that DOT employees are not being paid, their families are suffering, etc. But you are also acting/interim NASA Administrator. But you say nothing about the same circumstance confronting NASA folks – civil service and contractors. If you can’t do both jobs then pick one that you CAN do – and give the other job to someone else who can do it. But wait: there’s more (see below)

Keith’s note: yea I know there is a #shutdown but this rates 9 out of 10 on the Scrooge scale Cynthia Simmons and Sean Duffy. (edited) Email sent this week to NASA Goddard employees: “Reminder: Holiday Events Not Permitted at GSFC — Good afternoon, As we gear up for several months of various holidays, please note this reminder that holiday parties, get-togethers, team building events, potlucks, etc. are no longer permitted onsite at GSFC.” 31 Oct update: I just got this from NASA HQ Public Affairs in response to my social media and NASAWatch.com postings: “This message was not approved or authorized by NASA agencywide or GSFC leadership.”

Keith’s note: Has anyone heard NASA’s part-time leader Sean Duffy recently reach out, motivate his NASA workforce, seek out shutdown, furlough, RIF, layoff, concerns – or otherwise show visible, enduring support for their hardship? Or does DOT get all of his attention? Just wondering.

Keith’s Update: see “Is NASA Pulling Back On Retroactive Pay?“ Keith’s note: the following email “Shutdown furlough: Upcoming second formal furlough notice and additional information” was sent to everyone at NASA today. it opens with “When a lapse in appropriations exceeds 30 days, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulations require agencies to treat it as a new formal furlough and issue a second formal furlough notice.” Full message below.

Keith’s note: Some complain NASA Watch has turned political. Oops. This is an existential moment for NASA (and everything else). Everyday I’m beset with putrid politics colliding with a hopeful future – one that usually keeps me (and you) going. Many of you have been thrown out of a job you were drawn to as a child because of this mess. I do this Internet thing by the seat of my pants – as are you with your lives right now. Don’t let these b*stards take your future away from you. I’m a child of StarTrek so I use clips to convey things. Here’s today’s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYZ4IoyztIw

Keith’s note: The unions that represent some NASA employees continue to push back. Oddly JPL was trying to thwart union organization when the sky started to fall and other NASA centers merely tolerated unions. Now, as the White House severs their role with NASA – and all the professional space industry organizations mostly sit on their hands – they let the layoffs and budget cuts happen. But the Unions have risen to the challenge and now lead the way in championing the collective well being of space community employees. Bravo. For all of you non-union types, a large Bravo Zulu (“well done”) for the unions is in order. See “Legal challenges against Trump’s union EOs continue to proliferate” at Government Executive: “The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers has filed its second lawsuit seeking to block President Trump’s effort to strip collective bargaining rights from two-thirds of the federal workforce, this time on behalf of NASA workers.”

Keith’s note: A judge has halted the new round of layoffs during the Shutdown – but OMB has only just begun to lay people off. Or try to.

• Judge blocks Trump admin from laying off federal workers during government shutdown, Politico: “U.S. District Judge Susan Illston, a Clinton appointee based in California, ruled from the bench after an afternoon hearing, saying that the administration isn’t following legal requirements for conducting reductions in force, or RIFs, and that officials have exceeded their authorities. Illston also cited public comments about the shutdown made by President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought, adding that the layoffs appear to be unlawfully targeted at Democrats.”
• Trump admin federal job cuts likely to be ‘north of 10,000,’ Vought says, CNBC “The Trump administration could slash more than 10,000 federal jobs during the government shutdown, White House budget director Russell Vought said Wednesday. “We want to be very aggressive where we can be in shuttering the bureaucracy, not just the funding,” said Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget. “We now have an opportunity to do that, and that’s where we’re going to be looking for our opportunities.”

Keith’s note: some reactions to JPL’s job layoffs. If the PBR is enacted in whole or in part – and OMB continues to cut and RIF – then this may be just a preview.

• JPL Hit With Another 550 Layoffs as NASA’s Budget Crisis Deepens, Gizmodo, “If you really want NASA to be that leader—not just to win, but also to show why we won—you would be doing the exact opposite of what you’re doing at NASA right now,” Cowing said.”

• JPL, the Southern California NASA center, is laying off hundreds of employees, LAIst, “The JPL that we knew is gone,” said one employee, who has worked at JPL for over 10 years and lamented the repeated layoffs. The engineer also described an ongoing brain drain and a feeling of despondency among the staff. LAist agreed not to name the person, who feared reprisal for speaking publicly.”

• NASA’s JPL cuts 550 jobs in latest round of layoffs at La Cañada Flintridge facility, LA Times, “Layoffs and attrition have reduced JPL’s overall staffing by about one-third in the last two years, sources at the organization said, from roughly 6,500 to around 4,500 after this week’s reduction. JPL endured three rounds of layoffs last year alone, prompted by massive federal budget cuts for its beleaguered Mars Sample Return mission.”

• JPL Workforce Decimated, EOS, “Federal whistleblowers, however, have come forward with evidence that NASA leadership has been operating as if the President’s Budget Request (PBR)—not the appropriations bill—is in effect, directing mission wind-down operations and staff reductions under the assumption of a 20% overall budget cut. Some of that lost spending would affect JPL’s ability to plan, build, and operate Earth science missions and space exploration spacecraft.”

Keith’s note: the JPL Center Director sent this message to all JPL employees earlier today. Full memo below.