Latest news with #GOP-leaning
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Democrats raise alarms as National Weather Service races to fill jobs ahead of hurricane season
Vacancies at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are raising fears among current and former agency officials and Democrats that cuts to the federal workforce have left the country with too few experts to help prepare for weather disasters ahead of the looming Atlantic hurricane season. POLITICO first reported on Wednesday that NOAA posted 155 job openings at the National Weather Service, the public safety agency whose regional offices make up the nation's first line of defense for imminent storms and disasters. House Democrats on the Science, Space and Technology Committee said NOAA managers are pleading with employees in emails to pursue reassignments to fill those jobs, which in many cases would amount to demotions. 'They are frantically trying to fill the gaps,' Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), the committee's top Democrat, said at an event at the Capitol. 'There appears to be a panic level on the part of the department to try and undo the damage they've done to the weather service.' Internal documents reviewed by POLITICO revealed a range of open positions, from a lead meteorologist role in Fairbanks, Alaska, to meteorologist-in-charge at the NWS office in Lake Charles, Louisiana — an area that is frequently at risk for tropical storms and hurricanes. The vacancies are mostly for meteorologists who embed in local offices scattered throughout the country and coordinate with local officials like mayors and emergency managers to provide timely information for storm preparation, helping reduce loss of life and property. NWS is also backfilling crucial roles like hydrologists and information technology specialists who help fine tune radar systems, said Tom DiLiberto, a former NOAA official who spoke at the Wednesday event. Those functions are essential for events like the hurricane season that officially begins June 1, DiLiberto said. 'We're not prepared. We're heading into hurricane season as unprepared as anytime as I can imagine,' he said. NOAA will issue its Atlantic hurricane season outlook May 22. It will come as NWS struggles to maintain 24-hour monitoring capabilities at all its offices amid staffing shortages, driven by a combination of retirements and the Trump administration's deferred resignation program and firings. Five former NWS chiefs said in an open letter earlier this month that the Trump administration's cuts could lead to 'a needless loss of life.' They said offices are so thinly staffed that some roles will have to be filled on a part-time basis. The former NWS directors said 250 employees were fired or took buyouts in February, and another 300 have since departed. Lofgren said the committee's Democrats have requested information about NWS and NOAA operations through six letters sent to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who oversees the departments — but they so far have not received any response. In the meantime, she has pressed Republicans to raise alarms about NWS staffing, since GOP-leaning districts and states in places like the Gulf Coast have often faced the biggest disasters. 'I will say this without violating any private conversations I've had with members across the aisle: there is concern,' she said in an interview. 'I haven't yet seen Republicans speak out publicly. That's something they got to figure out. Because when disaster hits, the tornado doesn't ask whether it's a red or blue area.' When asked about the significance of the vacancies, NWS spokesperson Kim Doster said the agency "continues to meet its core mission." Doster said NWS has "updated the service level standards for its weather forecast offices to manage impacts due to shifting personnel resources," but did not explain those modifications in detail. "These revised standards reflect the transformation and prioritization of mission-essential operations, while supporting the balance of the operational workload for its workforce," Doster said in a statement. Spokespeople for the Commerce Department and NOAA did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Democrats said they are worried the Trump administration's retirement offers and anticipated staff reductions will weaken the nation's efforts to defend communities against climate-driven disasters. Staffing at NOAA, which houses NWS, is expected to fall 20 percent due to those factors and a forthcoming reduction-in-force. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has also endured layoffs and curtailed or cut disaster response programs. 'This is not fear mongering. These are challenges by design, by the actions of the Trump administration,' Rep. Gabe Amo (D-R.I.) said. 'We know that there's a likelihood of a very intense [hurricane] season. So why would we put ourselves in a position to not be the most prepared possible?' DiLiberto said Trump's actions will also further obscure climate-driven dangers. NOAA recently shuttered its database of disasters that cause at least $1 billion of damage, taking a key public resource offline. DiLiberto said datasets tracking polar sea ice in the Arctic and greenhouse gases at NOAA are also under threat. 'The Trump administration takes an axe to NOAA, whose mission is to protect the American people and their livelihoods,' he said. 'NOAA is in trouble.'
Politico
14-05-2025
- Climate
- Politico
Democrats raise alarms as National Weather Service races to fill jobs ahead of hurricane season
Vacancies at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are raising fears among current and former agency officials and Democrats that cuts to the federal workforce have left the country with too few experts to help prepare for weather disasters ahead of the looming Atlantic hurricane season. POLITICO first reported on Wednesday that NOAA posted 155 job openings at the National Weather Service, the public safety agency whose regional offices make up the nation's first line of defense for imminent storms and disasters. House Democrats on the Science, Space and Technology Committee said NOAA managers are pleading with employees in emails to pursue reassignments to fill those jobs, which in many cases would amount to demotions. 'They are frantically trying to fill the gaps,' Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), the committee's top Democrat, said at an event at the Capitol. 'There appears to be a panic level on the part of the department to try and undo the damage they've done to the weather service.' Internal documents reviewed by POLITICO revealed a range of open positions, from a lead meteorologist role in Fairbanks, Alaska, to meteorologist-in-charge at the NWS office in Lake Charles, Louisiana — an area that is frequently at risk for tropical storms and hurricanes. The vacancies are mostly for meteorologists who embed in local offices scattered throughout the country and coordinate with local officials like mayors and emergency managers to provide timely information for storm preparation, helping reduce loss of life and property. NWS is also backfilling crucial roles like hydrologists and information technology specialists who help fine tune radar systems, said Tom DiLiberto, a former NOAA official who spoke at the Wednesday event. Those functions are essential for events like the hurricane season that officially begins June 1, DiLiberto said. 'We're not prepared. We're heading into hurricane season as unprepared as anytime as I can imagine,' he said. NOAA will issue its Atlantic hurricane season outlook May 22. It will come as NWS struggles to maintain 24-hour monitoring capabilities at all its offices amid staffing shortages, driven by a combination of retirements and the Trump administration's deferred resignation program and firings. Five former NWS chiefs said in an open letter earlier this month that the Trump administration's cuts could lead to 'a needless loss of life.' They said offices are so thinly staffed that some roles will have to be filled on a part-time basis. The former NWS directors said 250 employees were fired or took buyouts in February, and another 300 have since departed. Lofgren said the committee's Democrats have requested information about NWS and NOAA operations through six letters sent to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who oversees the departments — but they so far have not received any response. In the meantime, she has pressed Republicans to raise alarms about NWS staffing, since GOP-leaning districts and states in places like the Gulf Coast have often faced the biggest disasters. 'I will say this without violating any private conversations I've had with members across the aisle: there is concern,' she said in an interview. 'I haven't yet seen Republicans speak out publicly. That's something they got to figure out. Because when disaster hits, the tornado doesn't ask whether it's a red or blue area.' When asked about the significance of the vacancies, NWS spokesperson Kim Doster said the agency 'continues to meet its core mission.' Doster said NWS has 'updated the service level standards for its weather forecast offices to manage impacts due to shifting personnel resources,' but did not explain those modifications in detail. 'These revised standards reflect the transformation and prioritization of mission-essential operations, while supporting the balance of the operational workload for its workforce,' Doster said in a statement. Spokespeople for the Commerce Department and NOAA did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Democrats said they are worried the Trump administration's retirement offers and anticipated staff reductions will weaken the nation's efforts to defend communities against climate-driven disasters. Staffing at NOAA, which houses NWS, is expected to fall 20 percent due to those factors and a forthcoming reduction-in-force. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has also endured layoffs and curtailed or cut disaster response programs. 'This is not fear mongering. These are challenges by design, by the actions of the Trump administration,' Rep. Gabe Amo (D-R.I.) said. 'We know that there's a likelihood of a very intense [hurricane] season. So why would we put ourselves in a position to not be the most prepared possible?' DiLiberto said Trump's actions will also further obscure climate-driven dangers. NOAA recently shuttered its database of disasters that cause at least $1 billion of damage, taking a key public resource offline. DiLiberto said datasets tracking polar sea ice in the Arctic and greenhouse gases at NOAA are also under threat. 'The Trump administration takes an axe to NOAA, whose mission is to protect the American people and their livelihoods,' he said. 'NOAA is in trouble.'
Newsweek
07-05-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Map Shows Where Marijuana Is Legal as Pennsylvania Bill Moves Forward
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Pennsylvania may become the next state to allow adults to use recreational marijuana as its state legislature moves forward with a bill to expand its legalization. Why It Matters Recreational marijuana has been legalized in 24 states so far, and more than a dozen others allow adults to use medical marijuana in certain circumstances. Pennsylvania Democrats are pushing for the state to become the next to legalize recreational marijuana. Legalization has even spread to some GOP-leaning states like Missouri in recent years. Proponents of marijuana legalization argue that Americans should be free to use marijuana products if they choose to do so, but critics have raised concerns about health and societal consequences of its legalization. What to Know Pennsylvania's Cannabis Health & Safety Act passed the state House of Representatives on Tuesday on party lines, bringing it one step closer to allowing legal marijuana for recreational purposes. Medical marijuana has been legal in the Keystone state since 2016. Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, has been supportive of marijuana legalization but hasn't commented on the specific bill, which would allow for its sale in state-run dispensaries. An illuminated cannabis sign sits outside a dispensary in Bangkok on November 22, 2022. An illuminated cannabis sign sits outside a dispensary in Bangkok on November 22, 2022. JACK TAYLOR/AFP via Getty Images Newsweek reached out to Shapiro's office for comment via email. The battle to legalize marijuana has played out in state legislatures over the past decade. Colorado was the first state to legalize it in 2012, and a flurry of states has followed ever since. Medical marijuana is legal in most, but not all, states, though each has specific limitations and requirements for its medical use. Some states, like Georgia, have legalized the possession of low-THC oils, but not the broader use of marijuana. Here is a look at where its legalization stands in each state. What People Are Saying Pennsylvania State Representative Rick Krajewski, a Democrat, said in remarks reported by WPMT: "We have listened carefully to public health experts, criminal justice reformers, small business advocates and community leaders. Our bill reflects what we've learned — that we can and must legalize cannabis in a way that is safe, equitable and beneficial to all Pennsylvanians." Pennsylvania State Representative Charity Grimm Krupa, a Republican, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "This shady, rushed process is designed to ram through a massive policy change before members, stakeholders, and the public have had a chance to review, discuss, or understand the consequences. I am sounding the alarm because Pennsylvanians deserve a real voice and real transparency in decisions of this scale." What Happens Next In Pennsylvania, the bill must now pass the Senate and receive the signature of Governor Shapiro to become law. The wider debate over marijuana legalization continues to play out both at the national level and in various states. Other states like Hawaii have also considered legalization this year, but it is unclear whether those bills will succeed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
User's manual to Waltz's departure and its reverberations on Capitol Hill
Some context on national security advisor Michael Waltz being served for a little more than 100 days in that role after giving up a safe House seat in in mind that former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., gave up his safe seat as well when he was nominated to become attorney general. Gaetz then withdrew his name from consideration. Republicans later sweated two special elections in GOP-leaning districts as their House majority waned. Meet The Trump-picked Lawmakers Giving Speaker Johnson A Full House Gop Conference So both former Florida House members never served in the Trump administration, or did so for a short period. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump yanked the nomination of Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to be U.N. ambassador because there was concern about losing those Florida seats. Stefanik never got a confirmation vote and was forced to stay in the House – without a formal leadership position or a committee chairmanship. Read On The Fox News AppOriginal article source: User's manual to Waltz's departure and its reverberations on Capitol Hill
Fox News
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
User's manual to Waltz's departure and its reverberations on Capitol Hill
Some context on National Security Advisor Michael Waltz being served for a little more than 100 days in that role after giving up a safe House seat in in mind that former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., gave up his safe seat as well when he was nominated to become attorney general. Gaetz then withdrew his name from consideration. Republicans later sweated two special elections in GOP-leaning districts as their House majority waned. So both former Florida House members never served in the Trump administration, or did so for a short period. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump yanked the nomination of Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to be U.N. ambassador because there was concern about losing those Florida seats. Stefanik never got a confirmation vote and was forced to stay in the House – without a formal leadership position or a committee chairmanship. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPStefanik is also openly feuding with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
