Three Democratic lawmakers from coastal states railed against the Trump administration Friday for firing more than 600 NOAA employees who provide critical services to Americans, including weather forecasting, fisheries management and protecting the nation’s oceans.
The cuts were the latest in a string of mass firings at federal agencies, which have been targeting probationary civil service workers, typically those in the first year or two on the job or a more seasoned worker in a new position. The staff reductions have been part of the larger downsizing effort orchestrated by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency led by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk.
“If we’re looking at a point when this crazy DOGE experiment really backfired into people’s lives, I think you’ve found it with NOAA,” said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) on a Zoom call with reporters. “These layoffs will absolutely translate to direct impacts to peoples lives, the economy, our way of life.”
The lawmakers called the layoffs illegal and demanded that the Trump administration rehire essential NOAA workers before “another unavoidable disaster happens” from wildfires, hurricanes and other severe weather events.
