Dems amplify climate data needs at satellites hearing

By Amelia Davidson | 01/14/2026 06:39 AM EST

A senior NOAA official placed on administrative leave says the “weather mission” must include climate data.

Rep. Gabe Amo (D-R.I.)

Rep. Gabe Amo (D-R.I.) expressed concern the Trump administration is scaling back certain satellite programs. Francis Chung/POLITICO

Democrats seized on a House hearing about weather satellites and national security to air their concerns over the Trump administration deprioritizing data collection on climate change.

The House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Environment held a Tuesday hearing to discuss how weather satellites could play a role in national security operations, and the potential for collaboration between the Defense Department and NOAA.

But Democrat leadership opted to focus on the Trump administration’s threats to scale back certain satellite programs that provide data about climate change and rising sea levels.

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“We must conduct oversight into the possibility that critical data will be lost due to the Trump administration’s political and ideological motivations. That is extremely troubling,” said Rep. Gabe Amo of Rhode Island, the subcommittee’s top Democrat.

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