1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

I drive across country regularly and have twice just missed disaster, once from a tornado and once from flood. I depend on National Weather when I plan my trips. And I need them to be fully staffed and funded. Climate change and extreme weather events pose grave threats to human lives, property, and the economy. Cutting funding for weather and climate research cripples our ability to predict severe storms, heatwaves, droughts, and other dangerous conditions. This reckless decision jeopardizes public safety and hampers efforts to understand and mitigate the disastrous impacts of global warming. The United States has been a pioneer in meteorology and climate science, developing sophisticated computer models and an extensive observational network that provides vital data. This "quiet revolution" has saved countless lives through accurate forecasting, giving ample warning to communities in the path of hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards and other hazards. It has also deepened scientific knowledge of atmospheric physics and the consequences of rising greenhouse gas emissions. My daughter lives in Houston, ground zero fir hurricanes, and she needs accurate weather forecasts as does every American. The Trump regime's slashing of budgets for the National Weather Service, NASA, NOAA, NSF, EPA, USGS and Department of Energy undermines this hard-won expertise at a time when it's needed most. The accelerating climate crisis is fueling more frequent and intense heatwaves, wildfires, floods and storms that put millions at risk. Improved predictive capabilities are essential to enhancing preparedness and resilience. Climate denial is not an excuse for willful ignorance and jeopardizing public welfare. I demand Congress immediately restore full funding for vital weather and climate research programs. Investing in science protects American lives, livelihoods and national security interests imperiled by global warming's mounting toll. Neglecting this obligation is dereliction of duty. The stakes are too high to compromise on this issue. Why break something that works?