Sen Maria Cantwell said on Sunday that the federal government should take responsibility for investigation into the breakdown of flood warnings Recent deadly storm in TexasCalling it a “national responsibility” Improve forecasting system And stop future disasters.
“It is not a community for the community. It is a national system,” Cantwell “faced the nation with Margaret Brainon.” “And we share with the locals to help them answer the best.”
Since July 4 Flash floods In Ker County, Texas, authorities confirmed that at least 129 people have been killed and more than 170 are missing till Sunday morning. In the weekend, search and recovery efforts Was temporarily stopped For the first time due to the dangers of new floods, additional rains and rising water levels gave fresh warnings from the National Meteorological Service.
The Washington Democrats, who presided over the Senate Commerce Committee, said on Sunday that he is planning to send a letter to President Trump, who has outlined bipartine recommendations to upgrade the country’s forecast infrastructure. Among them, the use of the ocean aunt to improve the Doppler radar, to track sea temperature, has increased, and has increased data analytics and computing power for the national ocean and atmospheric administration (NOAA).
“What is the real question, what we can do to improve the weather forecast of this nation,” Cantwell said. “To use science, to use better assets, to actually upgrade the system to one time in lifetime investment.”
He pointed to the more accurate tornado forecasts in the midwest – where the residents received a two -hour warning – as evidence that the federal investment in meteorological could save life.
“We should be the world’s most clever government using technology, analyzing data, and an forecast system that gives people the kind of system,” he said.
Senator also warned Proposed budget deduction and privatization efforts Under the Trump administration, which he said that NOAA could reduce the mission. During the Texas flood, major forecast and IT location in National Weather Service Were incompleteAccording to the union which represents NWS employees. Vacancies raise questions about whether the lack of staff may have contributed to the delay in emergency alert.
But Cantwell said that “it is a small amount” than the cost of disaster recovery, and he said that small businesses and the first respondent rely on the alert issued by the government.
Cantwell said that he has not decided that he was the candidate of NOAA Administrator Dr. Neil will vote to confirm Jacobs. The senator said that she was pleased with a Senate hearing this week that Jacobs created a “some very positive” commitments about supporting the Organic Act, which aims to establish NOAA as an independent agency. Prior to the decision, Cantwell said that she wants to “drill” the views of Jacobs how to preserve the science mission amidst the increase in spending on storms.
