1. United States
2. Idaho
3. Letter

It's hard to know what the facts are, but the following are from reputable news sources: On July 4th, when the flash floods hit Texas, NOAA was able to send three warnings--but the liaison who relayed the warnings to communities had been fired. The day of the flooding, as desperate rescue operations were taking place, the call centers that receives emergency calls for FEMA answered over 2000 calls (nearly every incoming call). On July 5th, hundreds of workers from those call centers were fired. Calls more than doubled, but most weren't answered. By July 6th the call rate was up to around 15,000, but the call centers could only answer a small fraction. People died. CHILDREN DIED. Their deaths may have been prevented if NOAA and FEMA weren't decimated in the name of "waste, fraud, and abuse" that has not been evidenced or demonstrated. Stop the gutting, and restore the services that save American lives.