Reconsider cuts to weather agencies, say Democratic Congress members

By Michaela Mulligan Tampa Bay Times

Florida Democratic Congress members have sent a letter to the director of the federal Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought, urging him to reconsider slashing federal jobs held by meteorologists and hurricane experts.

Congress members expressed concerns over job cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service.

The letter was penned a week after billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency began cutting jobs within the federal agencies.

“Florida is no stranger to the devastating impacts of hurricanes, and our communities depend on NOAA’s accurate and timely forecasting to make life-saving decisions,” the letter said.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who represents Broward County, said she wrote the letter “without partisan rhetoric” to encourage Republicans to sign it.

“Sadly, they refused to unite around our residents’ safety,” Wasserman Schultz said in a statement to the Tampa Bay Times.

The federal cuts come on the heels of a historic hurricane season in Tampa Bay after Hurricanes Helene and Milton dealt back-to-back punishing blows to the region.

According to reporting from The Associated Press, about 10% of NOAA’s workforce was expected to be cut.

In the letter, Congress members say workforce reductions to weather and hurricane forecasting impact safety and emergency preparedness.

“Slashing the workforces at NWS and NOAA cripples their ability to warn and protect the public, endangering millions of Americans — especially those in coastal and storm-prone regions like the Tampa Bay area,” Kathy Castor, who represents parts of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, said in a statement.

Representatives who signed the letter:

Wasserman Schultz.— Castor.

Maxwell Alejandro Frost, who represents Orange County.

Darren Soto, who represents parts of Orange, Osceola and Polk counties.

Lois Frankel, representing Palm Beach County.

Jared Moskowitz, who represents parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who represents parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Frederica S. Wilson, who represents parts of Broward and Miami-Dade counties.