TALLAHASSEE, Fla — As Texas continues to reel from catastrophic flooding that has left at least 119 people dead and more than 170 missing, Florida lawmakers are sounding the alarm over a potential disaster closer to home.
Congressional Democrats from Florida are warning that proposed budget cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), pushed by the Trump administration, could jeopardize public safety just as hurricane season reaches its most dangerous stretch.
"If we do go forward with these cuts, we would be playing Russian roulette with American lives, and that is not what the American people have hired us to do," said Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL 20) during a press briefing Wednesday.
WATCH: Democrats slam NOAA cuts: 'Russian roulette with American lives'
The proposed cuts would reduce NOAA’s full-time staff by about 17% and shutter all of its research labs, including a critical hurricane-focused facility in Miami. Democrats argue these changes would roll back years of progress in weather prediction and emergency preparedness.
“Trump isn't helping us look out for each other. He's abandoning everyone,” said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL 25). “These cuts don't even make financial sense. Every major hurricane can bring billions in damage, easily, more than NOAA’s entire proposed budget.”
The warning comes as Florida braces for the peak of its hurricane season—typically, the most dangerous months are August through October. Across the Gulf, officials in Texas are still trying to understand the scope and causes of the devastating floods.
“There’s going to be an after-action—please y’all listen to those words. After-action,” said Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha. “Those questions are going to be answered.”
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is defending the budget, describing it as part of a broader government effort to eliminate waste. The proposal is subject to congressional approval and is receiving added scrutiny as Trump’s nominee to lead NOAA, Neil Jacobs, undergoes a confirmation process.
“There are a lot of things I would love to improve, obviously, weather forecasting being one of them,” Jacobs told lawmakers during a Wednesday confirmation hearing. While supporting the president’s proposed research cuts, Jacobs emphasized his commitment to keeping the National Weather Service fully staffed.
“I can assure the committee that I will do my best to ensure this team of scientists, engineers, forecasters, and uniformed officers have the resources and leadership needed to fulfill their mission of science, service, and stewardship,” he said.
The White House, for its part, pushed back sharply against criticism of the administration’s response to the Texas disaster and its budget plans.
“Blaming President Trump for these floods is a deprived lie,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “It serves no purpose during this time of national mourning.”
NOAA meteorologists have again predicted the 2025 hurricane season to be “above normal.” Their annual Atlantic forecast, released in May, anticipated a range of 13 to 19 total named storms with winds of 39 mph or higher.
“Of those, 6-10 are forecast to become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3-5 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher),” the agency reported. “NOAA has a 70% confidence in these ranges.“
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