Rep. Bell Demands Answers on Cuts to National Weather Service Following Deadly Midwest Storms

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Wesley Bell (D-Mo.) led a letter, signed by U.S. Representatives Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.), and Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.), to Secretary Howard Lutnick of the Department of Commerce and Acting Administrator Laura Grimm of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), expressing deep concern over recent staffing and funding reductions to the National Weather Service (NWS) and their impact on public safety following this weekend’s deadly tornado outbreak.

The letter comes in the wake of severe storms that tore through the Midwest, leaving at least 28 people dead—including five in St. Louis—and damaging or destroying over 5,000 structures across the region. Preliminary estimates place the cost of damage in excess of $1 billion.

“We cannot afford to further weaken our national weather response infrastructure. As the frequency and severity of storms increase, the capacity to issue accurate and timely warnings becomes even more critical to saving lives.” said Rep. Bell.

The letter raises alarm over decisions made by the Trump Administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that have led to staffing shortages and operational gaps at NWS field offices nationwide. These reductions have been linked to delays in issuing warnings and forecasts, jeopardizing emergency preparedness and response efforts.

In the letter, Congressman Bell and his colleagues request a response by June 20, 2025, to the following questions:

Did the Trump Administration’s funding and staffing cuts to NOAA and the NWS directly impact the reporting and tracking of the recent storms?

In response to these storms, what immediate steps is NOAA taking to ensure that NWS field offices are properly resourced and staffed?

Following the March 20, 2025 ruling requiring the reinstatement of tens of thousands of federal employees, how many NWS employees have been rehired? While the Department of Commerce initially announced the rehiring of several hundred employees, no recent update has been provided.

How are the previous staffing and budget cuts continuing to affect the NWS’s ability to deliver technical assistance and operational support nationwide?

The full text of the letter can be found here.
 

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