The floods that ripped through Central Texas were not merely destructive—they were a direct result of failed leadership. More than 100 lives lost. Twenty-seven children drowned at Camp Mystic. Entire communities were obliterated. And the most pressing question still resounds: Could this have been prevented? Yes. And we know exactly why it wasn’t. The Trump administration, empowered by a Republican-controlled Congress, deliberately slashed nearly 40% of NOAA’s budget—crippling America’s forecasting infrastructure. These cuts eliminated core technologies and resulted in the layoff of 560 National Weather Service employees, including key coordination experts in Texas. Among those gutted were Warning Coordination Meteorologists, … Continue reading Opinion: Budget Cuts to NOAA and NWS Worsened Texas Tragedy