Sen. Maria Cantwell said Sunday the federal government must take responsibility for investigating the breakdown in flood warnings during the recent deadly storms in Texas, calling it a “national responsibility” to improve forecasting systems and prevent future disasters.
“It’s not community to community. It’s a national system,” said Cantwell on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.” “And we share that with local people to help them best respond.”
Since the July 4 flash floods in Kerr County, Texas, officials have confirmed at least 129 people are dead and more than 170 remain missing as of Sunday morning. Over the weekend, search and recovery efforts were temporarily halted for the first time due to new flood threats, as additional rain and rising water levels prompted fresh warnings from the National Weather Service.
The Washington Democrat, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, said Sunday that she plans to send a letter to President Trump outlining bipartisan recommendations to upgrade the country’s forecasting infrastructure. Among them are improvements to Doppler radar, increased use of ocean buoys to track sea temperatures, and enhanced data analytics and computing power for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
“What the real question is, is what can we do to improve the weather forecasting of this nation,” Cantwell said. “To use science, to use better assets, to really do a once in a lifetime investment to upgrade the system.”
She pointed to more accurate tornado forecasts in the Midwest – where residents received two hours of warning – as evidence that federal investment in weather science can save lives.
“We should be the smartest government in the world using technology, analyzing the data, and putting a forecast system into place that gives people that kind of system,” she said.
The senator also warned against proposed budget cuts and privatization efforts under the Trump administration, which she said could undermine NOAA’s mission. During the Texas floods, key forecasting and IT positions at the National Weather Service were unfulfilled, according to the union that represents NWS staffers. The vacancies raise questions about whether staffing shortages may have contributed to delays in emergency alerts.
But Cantwell said “it’s a miniscule amount of money” compared to the cost of disaster recovery, and she added that small businesses and first responders rely on government-issued alerts.
Cantwell said she hasn’t decided whether she will vote to confirm NOAA administrator nominee Dr. Neil Jacobs. The senator said she was pleased in a Senate hearing this week that Jacobs made “some very positive” commitments about supporting the Organic Act, which is aimed at establishing the NOAA as an independent agency. Before making a decision, Cantwell said she wants to “drill down” on Jacobs’ thoughts about how to preserve the science mission amid increased spending on storms.
