Texas Floods Highlight Impact of NOAA Budget Cuts on Weather Response

Senator Ted Cruz, who recently cut $150 million from NOAA funding aimed at improving weather forecasts, was on vacation in Greece when deadly flooding struck Central Texas. The funding cuts followed staffing reductions at NOAA, raising concerns about their impact on disaster preparedness. Cruz defended the NWS against claims that understaffing worsened the disaster and emphasized the need for a serious examination of early warning systems. Cruz returned to Texas to visit the disaster site after being criticized for vacationing during the crisis.