A national discussion is underway on the role of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service in forecasting the deadly July 4 flash floods in Kerr County, Texas. The record shows that the hard-working meteorologists and other staff at the National Weather Service were successful in providing Texas Hill Country with timely, accurate forecasts.

It is critical to reflect on government role’s in the short term and build a minute-by-minute chronology of the disaster. But it is equally important to highlight the long-term investments America needs for climate and weather resilience. This means talking about the NOAA labs and other research centers dedicated to basic science. These institutions are essential to innovation in precipitation forecasting and warnings that save lives, yet they are on the chopping block in the president’s latest Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal.

President Trump’s budget proposal called for closing all NOAA labs and cooperative institutes with universities. It also calls for closing its Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, which funds and coordinates with the labs and cooperative institutes. Congress is debating funding levels for NOAA research now as it begins the appropriations process.

A final budget aligned with the........

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