1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

I am writing as your constituent to raise alarm over the fiscal and public safety consequences of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)’s recent cuts—particularly those targeting NOAA and the National Weather Service (NWS). These actions, meant to save taxpayer dollars, have instead led to greater expense, diminished services, and increased risk to the American public. Earlier this year, DOGE eliminated about 10% of NOAA’s workforce—around 1,000 people—including some 600 meteorologists through retirements, layoffs, and contract terminations. Some forecast offices lost 20% or more of their staff, leading to serious operational setbacks such as reduced overnight weather balloon launches and weakened 24-hour forecasting. Now, as hurricane season peaks, NOAA is being forced to rehire hundreds of these same employees—450 meteorologists, hydrologists, and radar technicians—to restore basic capacity. Many of these roles were previously approved positions that DOGE vacated. This not only wipes out the supposed savings but adds new costs for administration and retraining. These cuts also led to a loss of institutional knowledge. As one NOAA official pointed out, “How much time and money is it going to cost to train a bunch of new people when we had already trained people in place?” The consequences are real and tragic. Forecast degradation due to staffing shortages played a role in the deadly Texas floods that claimed dozens of lives. Despite official denials, experts agree that forecast quality and response have suffered as a direct result of DOGE’s cuts. Beyond safety, the economic toll is staggering. While DOGE claims it saved taxpayers hundreds of billions, independent reviews estimate that the cuts have cost over $21 billion in direct inefficiencies. When factoring in lost productivity, economic disruption, and missed revenue, total losses may exceed $500 billion. This is not efficiency—it is reckless mismanagement. I urge you to: Audit DOGE’s financial claims against actual outcomes. Restore NOAA and NWS staffing and funding to at least pre-cut levels. Prevent further political interference in vital public agencies. This hurricane season will test our preparedness. It must not be made more dangerous by shortsighted cuts. We cannot save pennies today only to spend billions tomorrow—especially when lives are at stake. Thank you for your time and dedication to responsible governance.