1. United States
2. La.
3. Letter

The recent catastrophic flooding in Texas that tragically claimed the lives of over 40 people, including many children, was exacerbated by staffing shortages at the National Weather Service due to severe budget cuts implemented by the current administration. This degradation of forecasting capabilities left communities vulnerable and without adequate warning of the imminent danger. President Trump, DOGE, and Republican Congress members have enabled this failure and must answer for the death of these children. It is unacceptable that these cuts, not based on research or deliberation, have swept these families into loss and grief. We cannot allow politics to compromise public safety in such a devastating manner. I urge you to take immediate action to fully restore funding and staffing levels at the National Weather Service. Robust weather forecasting saves lives, and the American people deserve a fully operational early warning system, especially with hurricane season underway. Prioritizing budgetary savings over emergency preparedness has proven to have catastrophic consequences. Please rectify this dire situation before more tragedies occur.