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By Jordan King
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As Texas continues to reel from the bouts of deadly flooding it experienced last weekend, people are discussing whether meteorologists had enough resources in order to issue warnings.
Newsweek has compiled a list of every Republican lawmaker who voted in favor of the One Big Beautiful Bill, which has faced scrutiny following the floods for its inclusion of cuts to weather forecasting and research.
A spokesperson for the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation under Chairman Ted Cruz told Newsweek: "None of the rescinded funding was obligated for any existing operations or forecasting activity."
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Why It Matters
The passing of President Donald Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" was a big win for the White House and has served as the administration's signature piece of legislation. Passing with no Democratic votes, the massive bill cemented tax cuts and provided more funding for immigration enforcement.
Following the signing of the bill on Friday and the fatal catastrophic flooding that struck central Texas over the weekend, the White House has faced fresh scrutiny over previous job cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Weather Service (NWS) as well as new funding cuts the agencies face in the tax bill.
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Newsweek has broken down some of the concerns that have been expressed here.
What To Know
Texas was ravaged with floods the same day Trump signed the bill, which narrowly passed by a 51–50 vote in the Senate, with Vice President JD Vance serving as the tiebreaking vote, and 218–214 vote in the House.
As the bill made its way through Congress, Republican Texas Senator Cruz signed language into the legislation that did away with $150 million in funding to "accelerate advances and improvements in research**,** observation systems, modeling, forecasting, assessments, and dissemination of information to the public," according to a report in The Guardian.
A separate $50 million in funding for grants to study how the climate is impacting oceans, weather systems and coastal ecosystems was also removed.
While these cuts will not yet have taken effect—meaning they had no impact on the recent flood reporting—they have been a part of renewed discussions about these services in general following the flooding.
When asked for comment, the spokesperson for the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation under Chairman Cruz told Newsweek: "Only a shameless and soulless partisan hack would tie the One, Big, Beautiful Bill to the Texas floods. The funds rescinded had nothing to do with weather forecasting, but were instead used for 'heat awareness' campaigns, 'Green Collar jobs,' creating a climate resilience plan based on an Indian tribe's 'traditional knowledge' of weather, building a new visitor's center at an aquarium and 'citizen science' around fishing."
Some Texas officials suggested that forecasts from the NWS underestimated the rainfall.
Texas Emergency Management Chief W. Nim Kidd said during a news conference on Friday that the "original forecast that we received on Wednesday from the National Weather Service predicted 3 to 6 inches of rain in the Concho Valley and 4 to 8 inches of rain in the Hill Country.
"The amount of rain that fell in this specific location was never in any of those forecasts, nonetheless."
Dalton Rice, the city manager for Kerrville, said the storm "dumped more rain than what was forecast."
Democratic Texas Representative Joaquin Castro, said on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday that an investigation should be carried out to determine if the previous job cuts played a role in people in the flood zone not being prepared.
Though there has been some scrutiny, some have said that NWS did a "solid" job in issuing warnings about the flooding, but questions have been raised about how many people were properly warned with some questioning if vacancies at forecast offices could have been a factor.
The NWS said in a statement to Newsweek that flash flood warnings had been issued on Thursday night and in the early hours on Friday, giving "preliminary lead times of more than three hours before warning criteria were met."
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Newsweek that "false claims about the NWS have been repeatedly debunked by meteorologists, experts, and other public reporting."
At press conference discussing this scrutiny, Cruz called these discussions "partisan finger-pointing."
"I think there have been some that have been eager to point to the National Weather Service and say cuts there led to a lack of warning," he said. "I think that's contradicted by the facts."
Full List of Republican Senators Who Voted in Favor
Here is the full list of Republican Senators who voted for the Big Beautiful Bill, which includes weather service cuts, according to an official roll call from the United States Senate.
- Jim Banks (Ind.)
- John Barrasso (Wyo.)
- Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.)
- John Boozman (Ark.)
- Katie Britt (Ala.)
- Ted Budd (N.C.)
- Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.)
- Bill Cassidy (La.)
- John Cornyn (Texas)
- Tom Cotton (Ark.)
- Kevin Cramer (N.D.)
- Mike Crapo (Idaho)
- Ted Cruz (Texas)
- John Curtis (Utah)
- Steve Daines (Mont.)
- Joni Ernst (Iowa)
- Deb Fischer (Neb.)
- Lindsey Graham (S.C.)
- Chuck Grassley (Iowa)
- Bill Hagerty (Tenn.)
- Josh Hawley (Mo.)
- John Hoeven (N.D.)
- Jon Husted (Ohio)
- Cindy Hyde-Smith (Miss.)
- Ron Johnson (Wis.)
- Jim Justice (W.Va.)
- John Kennedy (La.)
- James Lankford (Okla.)
- Mike Lee (Utah)
- Cynthia Lummis (Wyo.)
- Roger Marshall (Kan.)
- Mitch McConnell (Ky.)
- David McCormick (Pa.)
- Ashley Moody (Fla.)
- Jerry Moran (Kan.)
- Bernie Moreno (Ohio)
- Markwayne Mullin (Okla.)
- Lisa Murkowski (Ark.)
- Pete Ricketts (Neb.)
- James E. Risch (Idaho)
- Mike Rounds (S.D.)
- Eric Schmitt (Mo.)
- Rick Scott (Fla.)
- Tim Scott (S.C.)
- Tim Sheehy (Mont.)
- Dan Sullivan (Ark.)
- John Thune (S.D.)
- Tommy Tuberville (Ala.)
- Roger Wicker (Miss.)
- Todd Young (Ind.)
- Vice President JD Vance
Full List of Replican Representatives Who Voted in Favor
Here is the full list of Republican representatives who voted for the Big Beautiful Bill which included these recent weather services cuts, according to an official roll call from the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Robert Aderholt (Ala.)
- Rick W. Allen (Ga.)
- Mark Alford (Mo.)
- David Amodei (Nev.)
- Jodey C. Arrington (Texas)
- Brian Babin (Texas)
- Don Bacon (Neb.)
- Jim Baird (Ind.)
- Troy Balderson (Ohio)
- Andy Barr (Ky.)
- Tom Barrett (Mich.)
- Michael Baumgartner (Wash.)
- Aaron Bean (Fla.)
- Nick Begich III (Alaska)
- Cliff Bentz (Ore.)
- Jack Bergman (Mich.)
- Josh Bice (Okla.)
- Andy Biggs (Ariz.)
- Sheri Biggs (S.C.)
- Gus Bilirakis (Fla.)
- Lauren Boebert (Colo.)
- Mike Bost (Ill.)
- Josh Brecheen (Okla.)
- Mike Bresnahan (Pa.)
- Vern Buchanan (Fla.)
- Tim Burchett (Tenn.)
- Eric Burlison (Mo.)
- Ken Calvert (Calif.)
- Kat Cammack (Fla.)
- Mike Carey (Ohio)
- John Carter (Texas)
- Earl "Buddy" Carter (Ga.)
- Juan Ciscomani (Ariz,)
- Ben Cline (Va.)
- Michael Cloud (Texas)
- Drew Clyde (Ga.)
- Tom Cole (Okla.)
- Mike Collins (Ga.)
- James Comer (Ky.)
- Eli Crane (Ariz.)
- Jeff Crank (Colo.)
- Rick Crawford (Ark.)
- Dan Crenshaw (Texas)
- Monica De La Cruz (Texas)
- Warren Davidson (Ohio)
- Scott DesJarlais (Tenn.)
- Mario Diaz-Balart (Fla.)
- Byron Donalds (Fla.)
- Troy Downing (Mont.)
- Neal Dunn (Fla.)
- Beth Van Duyne (Texas)
- Chuck Edwards (N.C.)
- Jake Ellzey (Texas)
- Tom Emmer (Minn.)
- Ron Estes (Kan.)
- Gabe Evans (Colo.)
- Michael Ezell (Miss.)
- Pat Fallon (Texas)
- Kelly Fedorchak (N.D.)
- Randy Feenstra (Iowa)
- Randy Fine (Fla.)
- Brad Finstad (Minn.)
- Michelle Fischbach (Minn.)
- Scott Fitzgerald (Wis.)
- Chuck Fleischmann (Tenn.)
- Mike Flood (Neb.)
- Vince Fong (Calif.)
- Virginia Foxx (N.C.)
- Scott Franklin (Fla.)
- Russell Fry (S.C.)
- Russ Fulcher (Idaho)
- Andrew Garbarino (N.Y.)
- Brandon Gill (Texas)
- Carlos Gimenez (Fla.)
- Craig Goldman (Texas)
- Tony Gonzales (Texas)
- Lance Gooden (Texas)
- Paul Gosar (Ariz.)
- Sam Graves (Mo.)
- Mark Green (Tenn.)
- Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.)
- Morgan Griffith (Va.)
- Glenn Grothman (Wis.)
- Michael Guest (Miss.)
- Brett Guthrie (Ky.)
- Harriet Hageman (Wyo.)
- Abe Hamadeh (Ariz.)
- Mike Haridopolos (Fla.)
- Pat Harrigan (N.C.)
- Andy Harris (Mary.)
- Mark Harris (N.C.)
- Diana Harshbarger (Tenn.)
- Kevin Hern (Okla.)
- Clay Higgins (La.)
- French Hill (Ark.)
- Ashley Hinson (Iowa)
- Erin Houchin (Ind.)
- Richard Hudson (N.C.)
- Bill Huizenga (Mich.)
- Wesley Hunt (Texas)
- Jeff Hurd (Colo.)
- Darrell Issa (Calif.)
- Brian Jack (Ga.)
- Ronny Jackson (Texas)
- John James (Mich.)
- Dusty Johnson (S.D.)
- Mike Johnson (La.)
- Jim Jordan (Ohio)
- David Joyce (Ohio)
- John Joyce (Pa.)
- Tom Kean (N.J.)
- Michael Kelly (Miss.)
- Trent Kelly (Miss.)
- Mike Kennedy (Utah)
- Jen Kiggans (Va.)
- Kevin Kiley (Calif.)
- Young Kim (Calif.)
- Brad Knott (N.C.)
- David Kustoff (Tenn.)
- Darin LaHood (Ill.)
- Nick LaLota (N.Y.)
- Doug LaMalfa (Calif.)
- Nick Langworthy (N.Y.)
- Bob Latta (Ohio)
- Mike Lawler (N.Y.)
- Laurel Lee (Fla.)
- Julia Letlow (La.)
- Barry Loudermilk (Ga.)
- Frank Lucas (Okla.)
- Anna Paulina Luna (Fla.)
- Morgan Luttrell (Texas)
- Nancy Mace (S.C.)
- Ryan Mackenzie (Pa.)
- Nicole Malliotakis (N.Y.)
- Celeste Maloy (Utah)
- Tracey Mann (Kan.)
- Brian Mast (Fla.)
- Michael McCaul (Texas)
- Lisa McClain (Mich.)
- Tom McClintock (Calif.)
- Richard McCormick (Ga.)
- Addison McDowell (N.C.)
- John McGuire (Va.)
- Mark Messmer (Ind.)
- Daniel Meuser (Pa.)
- Carol Miller (W.Va.)
- Mary Miller (Ill.)
- Max Miller (Ohio)
- Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa)
- Cort Mills (Fla.)
- John Moolenaar (Mich.)
- Blake Moore (Utah)
- Barry Moore (Ala.)
- Riley Moore (W.Va.)
- Tim Moore (N.C.)
- Nathanial Moran (Texas)
- Greg Murphy (N.C.)
- Troy Nehls (Texas)
- Dan Newhouse (Wash.)
- Ralph Norman (S.C.)
- Zach Nunn (Iowa)
- Jay Obernolte (Calif.)
- Andrew Ogles (Tenn.)
- Bob Onder (Mo.)
- Burgess Owens (Utah)
- Gary Palmer (Ala.)
- Jimmy Patronis (Fla.)
- Scott Perry (Pa.)
- August Pfluger (Texas)
- Guy Reschenthaler (Pa.)
- Mike Rogers (Ala.)
- Hal Rogers (Ky.)
- John Rose (Tenn.)
- David Rouzer (N.C.)
- Chip Roy (Texas)
- Michael Rulli (Ohio)
- John Rutherford (Fla.)
- Maria Salazar (Fla.)
- Steve Scalise (La.)
- Derek Schmidt (Kan.)
- David Schweikert (Ariz.)
- Austin Scott (Ga.)
- Keith Self (Texas)
- Pete Sessions (Texas)
- Jefferson Shreve (Ind.)
- Michael Simpson (Idaho)
- Adrian Smith (Neb.)
- Christopher Smith (N.J.)
- Jason Smith (Mo.)
- Lloyd Smucker (Pa.)
- Victoria Spartz (Ind.)
- Pete Stauber (Minn.)
- Elise Stefanik (N.Y.)
- Bryan Steil (Wis.)
- Greg Steube (Fla.)
- Dale Strong (Ala.)
- Marlin Stutzman (Ind.)
- Dave Taylor (Ohio)
- Claudia Tenney (N.Y.)
- Glenn "GT" Thompson (Pa.)
- Tom Tiffany (Wis.)
- William Timmons (S.C.)
- Michael Turner (Ohio)
- David Valadao (Calif.)
- Jeff Van Drew (N.J.)
- Derrick Van Orden (Wis.)
- Ann Wagner (Mo.)
- Tim Walberg (Mich.)
- Randy Weber (Texas)
- Daniel Webster (Fla.)
- Bruce Westerman (Ark.)
- Tony Wied (Wis.)
- Roger Williams (Texas)
- Joe Wilson (S.C.)
- Robert Wittman (Va.)
- Steve Womack (Ark.)
- Rudy Yakym (Ind.)
- Ryan Zinke (Mont.)
What People Are Saying
A spokesperson for the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation under Chairman Ted Cruz told Newsweek: "After getting a 41 percent increase in its budget in the last decade, NOAA now spends roughly $3 billion annually on weather forecasting, research, and related infrastructure. Even the Biden administration had proposed to cancel millions in future radar research, in part because much of the project has already been completed and would explain why after nearly three years the funds remained unspent. There are simply more productive ways to be faithful stewards of public money and improve weather forecasts than continuing to overfund every possible NOAA account."
Republican Texas Senator Ted Cruz said: "I also think it's worth noting that the National Weather Service Union, which had been very critical of the DOGE cuts, has publicly said that they don't believe that the reduction in staffing had any impact whatsoever on their ability to warn about this event."
He added: "I think it is reasonable over time to engage in a retrospective and say at every level 'what could have been done better' because all of us would want to prevent this horrific life. But I think, just immediately trying to use it for either side to attack their political opponents, I think that's cynical and not the right approach – particularly at a time when we're dealing with a crisis and we're dealing with grief."
President Donald Trump told reporters, after being asked on Sunday if he thinks the government needs to hire back meteorologists whose jobs were cut: "I would think not. This was a thing that happened in seconds. Nobody expected it. Nobody saw it. Very talented people are there, they didn't see it. It's, I guess they said, once in 100 years. They've never seen anything like this."
Representative Joaquin Castro, a Texas Democrat, on CNN: "I don't think it's helpful to have missing key personnel from the National Weather Service not in place to help prevent these tragedies."
Cassidy DiPaola, author of the Substack newsletter Fossil Free Memo, which analyzes climate policy developments, wrote: "Just days before the flood, Texas Senator Ted Cruz helped pass the so-called Big Beautiful Bill, a sweeping fossil fuel giveaway that also slashed $200 million from Noaa's weather forecasting and public alert programs. The money was meant to improve early warnings for exactly the kind of fast-moving, deadly flooding that just hit his own state. The cuts weren't in the House version. Cruz added them in the Senate, behind closed doors, as chair of the committee that oversees Noaa."
What Happens Next
Last week, the Trump administration released a proposed 2026 budget for the NOAA, which calls for funding cuts. The cuts, if implemented, would not take effect until the next fiscal year begins on October 1, 2025.
Meanwhile, search and rescue teams continue to search for those that are missing in the floods.
Update 7/9/25, 12:30 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with comment from a spokesperson for the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation under Chairman Ted Cruz.
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