Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced on July 17 that the Commerce Department Inspector General will launch a full audit of the National Weather Service (NWS), responding to his demand for an investigation into the agency’s performance during the deadly floods in Texas.
The audit will examine staffing levels and the possible effects of Trump-era cuts to the NWS, with a focus on how those reductions may have weakened disaster response efforts during the recent extreme weather event.
“When Mother Nature strikes, Americans need to trust that the National Weather Service will be there to provide timely, accurate forecasting and early warnings to keep communities safe and guide first responders,” Schumer said. “I am glad the Commerce Department Inspector General’s office has heeded my call to investigate the devastating effects of the slash-and-burn approach that Trump has taken to staffing these essential weather programs.”
Schumer emphasized that the audit is not only about accountability for what happened in Texas, but also about ensuring readiness nationwide. “The NWS must examine what – if any – of the actions preceding this tragic event may have exacerbated the catastrophe, and then fix these flaws and apply this knowledge to communities around the country,” he said.
The deadly Texas flooding has raised national concern over the capacity of federal agencies to forecast and respond effectively to extreme weather. Schumer said the NWS must be equipped with “full resources” to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
“We have to make sure our advanced warning and emergency response systems are operating with full resources, so we are taking every available step to ensure a tragedy like this does not happen anywhere again in the U.S.,” he said.
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