Florida Democrats are warning the White House that cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration could be dangerous to the state.
In a letter penned by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and signed by the state鈥檚 seven other Democratic House members, they said layoffs at NOAA could leave the state less prepared for hurricane season and other extreme weather.
Federal funding cuts for meteorologists and weather forecasting resources 鈥減ose an immediate threat to hurricane preparedness and extreme weather response efforts in Florida and across the nation," they wrote.
NOAA scientists and meteorologists forecast everything from daily tides to hurricanes and space weather.
鈥淚nvestments 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,鈥� to Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought.
Sources told SA国际传谋 last week that nearly two dozen scientists based at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency鈥檚 Virginia Key offices were laid off in the latest round of federal firings, a direct hit to hurricane research and fisheries management vital to protecting U.S. shores.
READ MORE: Fears over hurricane forecasting as scientists are laid off at NOAA's Virginia Key offices
The layoffs ordered by the Trump administration are part of a reduction in force aimed at an agency created by Richard Nixon in the 1970s that now has offices spread across the country.
SA国际传谋 22 probationary staffers at the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Lab and southeast fisheries office were fired, gutting a class of young scientists or newly promoted staffers who had already put in years of service working to improve hurricane forecasting and better manage valuable ocean resources, including coral reefs. About 16 fired scientists worked in fisheries and a half dozen on hurricanes, sources told SA国际传谋.
Nationwide, more than 600 employees were laid off in emails sent Feb. 27, former NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad said in a press conference last Friday, with every NOAA office across the country hit.
The congressional letter sent Thursday to the OMB鈥檚 Vought was signed by each of Florida鈥檚 congressional Democrats: U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor, of Tampa, Frederica Wilson, of Miami Gardens, Lois Frankel, of Boca Raton, Darren Soto, of Orlando, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, of Miramar, Maxwell Frost, of Orlando, and Jared Moskowitz, of Parkland.
鈥淔lorida is ground zero for climate change-driven extreme storms, and I鈥檓 appalled President Trump is weakening our nation鈥檚 weather forecasting resources and inviting needless added risk to property and lives,鈥� said Wasserman Schultz in a statement.
She said she invited her Republican congressional colleagues in Florida to sign the letter, but they declined.
鈥淚 crafted this letter to protect NOAA and the NWS without partisan rhetoric, so my Republican colleagues could comfortably join forces with us,鈥� she said. 鈥淪adly, they refused to unite around our residents鈥� safety.鈥�
鈥淚 hope they speak privately with the President to head off this reckless effort. If they don鈥檛, I pray that none of them have reason to regret not speaking up,鈥� she added.
Other South Florida lawmakers also expressed their dismay with the administration鈥檚 funding cuts.
Frankel said 鈥渟lashing hundreds of NOAA jobs isn鈥檛 just reckless 鈥� it鈥檚 a catastrophe waiting to happen.鈥�
鈥淎brupt workforce cuts at NOAA and NWS will only make it more difficult for our communities to get ahead before the next storm arrives,鈥� said Cherfilus-McCormick, in a statement.
READ MORE: How the federal government plays a big role in weather forecasting
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