Moskowitz, FL Democrats Raise Alarm About Reported Cuts to Hurricane Forecasting

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23) joined the rest of Florida’s Democratic Congressional delegation to raise alarm about reported workforce reductions at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Weather Service (NWS). With hurricane season approaching, the group warned that cutting meteorologists and weather forecasting resources poses an immediate threat to preparedness and response for extreme weather events.

Fellow Florida Reps. Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20), Lois Frankel (D-FL-22), Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10), Darren Soto (D-FL-09), and Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24) joined onto the letter to the Trump Administration, which was led by Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL-25).

“Investments in weather forecasting and emergency preparedness are essential to our national security and economic stability, and we strongly oppose any actions that weaken our ability to protect lives and property from natural disasters,” the group wrote to Office of Management & Budget Director Russell Vought.

They cautioned that workforce reductions at NOAA and NWS would “leave our state more vulnerable to extreme weather, potentially increasing the cost of disaster response and recovery while putting lives at risk.”

“Investments in NOAA and the National Weather Service (NWS) are an investment in emergency response,” said Congressman Moskowitz. “I saw it firsthand as Florida’s Emergency Management Director, when my team and I relied on these agencies to prepare for and respond to disasters across our state. With hurricane season right around the corner and officials, organizations, and families looking to these agencies to stay safe, these workforce cuts threaten to handicap emergency response.”

“Florida is ground zero for climate change-driven extreme storms, and I’m appalled President Trump is weakening our nation’s weather forecasting resources and inviting needless added risk to property and lives,” said Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz. “I crafted this letter to protect NOAA and the NWS without partisan rhetoric, so my Republican colleagues could comfortably join forces with us. Sadly, they refused to unite around our residents’ safety. I hope they speak privately with the President to head off this reckless effort. If they don’t, I pray that none of them have reason to regret not speaking up.”

“Slashing the workforces at NWS and NOAA cripples their ability to warn and protect the public, endangering millions of Americans—especially those in coastal and storm-prone regions like the Tampa Bay area,” said Congresswoman Castor. “These cuts are not just irresponsible; they are deathly dangerous and will leave us vulnerable to hurricanes and other disasters.” 

“Florida has been battered by hurricanes and tornadoes year after year, and we’ve seen firsthand how the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration saves lives—tracking storms, issuing life-or-death forecasts, and helping communities prepare before disaster strikes,” said Congresswoman Frankel. “Slashing hundreds of NOAA jobs isn’t just reckless—it’s a catastrophe waiting to happen. When the next storm barrels toward us, who will sound the alarm and keep our families safe? These are cuts we can’t afford.”

“Here in South Florida, families have been hit hard by severe hurricanes, catastrophic flooding, and other natural disasters,” said Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick. “Abrupt workforce cuts at NOAA and NWS will only make it more difficult for our communities to get ahead before the next storm arrives.”

Before entering Congress, Moskowitz served as Florida’s Director of Emergency Management from 2019-2021. In this role, Moskowitz oversaw disaster response and recovery for the DeSantis Administration for major events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Category 5 Hurricane Michael.

Since coming to Congress, Moskowitz has been a leading voice for fully funding FEMA, keeping emergency response nonpartisan, and enacting commonsense reforms to bolster federal emergency management. He has served as co-chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Caucus.

For the group’s full letter to Trump Administration officials, click HERE.

###