In response to a letter by Rep. Greg Casar — a Democrat whose district includes parts of San Antonio and Austin — the Office of the Inspector General has agreed to probe the impact of the Trump White House’s staffing cuts at the National Weather Service (NWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Casar’s July 11 letter raised concerns about “severe shortages” in staffing at the agencies, including vacancies at their Texas offices at the time of the July 4 flood that killed at least 135 people. At the time of the catastrophe, local NWS offices were missing personnel including a warning-coordination meteorologist and a meteorologist in charge. “While the direct impact of nationwide staffing shortages on the disaster is unclear, the tragic loss of life suffered underscores the urgent need to fully understand what contributed to this disaster and how lives can be best protected moving forward,” Casar wrote.
