ICYMI: Congressman Sorensen Demands Accountability in Aftermath of Texas Floods
Congressman Sorensen: “We Have to Get President Trump to Understand That Investing in the National Weather Service [...] Could Maybe Make These Disasters a Thing of the Past”
As the Only Meteorologist in Congress, Congressman Sorensen Has Been Spotlighting the Urgent Need to Fully Fund the NWS During Severe Weather Season
Last week, Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) continued to lead Democrats in sounding the alarm over cuts in funding to the National Weather Service in the wake of the deadly Texas floods. On Friday, he led a letter with Representatives Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) and Lloyd Doggett (TX-37) demanding answers from President Trump on why hundreds of Americans were unprepared to evacuate from the flash floods.
MSNBC: All in with Chris Hayes: Congressman Sorensen calls for a NTSB for weather in aftermath of deadly flash flooding in Texas
Congressman Sorensen: “We need a NTSB just for weather. We need to understand how the meteorology was disseminated to the people. Were they able to react to it? Where they able to get to a higher ground? We have to understand all of the facets here so that we make better decisions in the future. Because we know these storms have had huge floods on the Guadalupe River in the 1970s, in 2002, and now in 2025.”
NBC News NOW: Meet the Press NOW: Need to ‘invest’ in NWS so Texas disaster is ‘a thing of the past’: Congressman & fmr. meteorologist
Congressman Sorensen: “We have to invest in the National Weather Service. We have to get President Trump to understand that investing in the National Weather Service – making sure we have more accurate weather models – could maybe make these types of disasters a thing of the past.”
Congressman Sorensen: “Also going forward, we need to make sure there is a commitment from the Administration that the National Weather Service is just that – it is a service. We take it for granted that our phones are going to off in the middle of the night when the tornado warning or the flash flood warning is issued. But we need to know when that happens that there is going to be a way for us to escape.”
Center Square: Illinois congressman pushes for NWS funding as Trump’s budget faces scrutiny
Illinois U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Rockford, a former meteorologist, said he and others are pushing bipartisan legislation to strengthen NWS operations and staffing, warning that shortfalls may be putting lives at risk.
Sorensen stressed the need for stronger communication tools, warning systems and a long-term investment in the agency’s capabilities.
NBC News: Bipartisan support picks up for a natural disaster review board
In an email to NBC News, Congress’ only meteorologist, Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Ill., said he was working with colleagues to create an NTSB-styled program to investigate deadly storms.
“It would be amazing if meteorologists could have access to investigative reports that help us to figure out what — if anything — went wrong and what we can do in the future to be better,” Sorensen said, adding that “clearly the tragic floods in Texas would benefit from such a report.”
The Hill: House Democrats call for ‘urgent review’ of deadly Texas flooding
Three House Democrats sent a letter to President Trump and two officials involved in weather infrastructure Friday expressing concerns about the government’s preparedness for future flood disasters and extreme weather events.
“This tragedy echoes a troubling national pattern of accelerating flash flood disasters that have claimed lives: 46 lives in the greater New York City area in September 2021, 345 lives in Kentucky in July 2022, 20 lives in Tennessee in August 2021, and 250 lives across the Southeast in September 2024,” Democratic Reps. Lloyd Doggett (Texas), Marcy Kaptur (Ohio) and Eric Sorensen (Ill.) wrote.
The lawmakers expressed concern about whether the Department of Government Efficiency-driven staff reductions at the National Weather Service delayed warnings about the Texas floods, which have claimed at least 120 lives. The New York Times reported the vacancies may have complicated efforts to coordinate with local officials and that some of the unfilled positions predate the Trump administration.
As the only meteorologist in Congress, Congressman Sorensen has been a fierce advocate for protecting and strengthening NOAA and the NWS from cuts. Starting last year, he has been warning about the impact of Project 2025’s plans to dismantle and privatize NOAA and the NWS. As the Department of Government Efficiency began making cuts to the agencies, Congressman Sorensen has been speaking out, introducing legislation, and calling on the Administration to bring a stop to the disastrous cuts. He recently introduced the Weather Workforce Improvement Act to help the NWS fully staff critical positions at their offices and the Rural Weather Monitoring Systems Act to help strengthen weather forecasting in rural America.