Davids Presses Trump Admin on Dangerous Weather Service Staffing Shortages in Wake of Severe Kansas Storms
Today, Representative Sharice Davids demanded answers from United States Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on critical staffing shortages at the National Weather Service (NWS) that are putting Kansans at risk amid an increasingly severe storm season.
With Kansas already experiencing multiple devastating tornadoes and storms this year, Davids raised urgent concerns about the Trump Administration’s hiring freeze and staffing cuts that have left NWS field offices, including in Kansas, unable to operate around the clock. One such office — Goodland’s Weather Forecast Office, which serves more than 80,000 residents across Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska — was forced to cut back operations just days before an EF-3 tornado touched down nearby.
“Americans across the country are faced with power outages, property damage, expensive cleanup costs, and the loss of family and friends; farmers – who rely heavily on weather data – are worse off without NWS forecasting in the midst of planting season,” wrote Davids. “Meanwhile, the Trump administration has downsized NWS staff by the hundreds and implemented a government-wide hiring freeze currently in place through the middle of July.”
Davids’ letter also highlights the nationwide implications of NWS staffing shortages, including decreased weather balloon launches — critical to severe storm forecasting — and long-standing gaps in meeting tornado warning accuracy goals. Davids pushed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to explain how they will accelerate the hiring of 126 promised meteorologists and restore 24/7 forecasting capabilities to offices like Goodland’s.
Davids demanded a response from Secretary Lutnick within 30 days, with specific information on how Kansas communities will be affected and protected going forward.
“Every single person in this country relies on the NWS in their daily lives,” Davids continued. “This agency is a top priority for public safety and national security, and indiscriminate cuts have only worsened the success of our nation’s weather forecasting. I appreciate your urgent attention to this matter and look forward to working with your Department to restore and improve NWS operations for the benefit of all Americans.”
Davids has consistently advocated for federal support that keeps Kansas families safe and informed, including introducing bipartisan legislation to update weather technology and emergency preparedness. She continues to call out the harmful impacts of the Trump Administration’s reckless federal workforce cuts and push for swift action to rebuild critical public safety infrastructure. Last week, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins admitted to Davids that certain federal firings have been an “imperfect process.”
A full copy of Davids’ letter can be found HERE.