Disaster Impact & Response - At least 173 people are missing and the death toll has risen to 120 in Texas due to devastating flash floods [1] - The number of flood-related deaths in the US reached 145 in 2024, significantly above the 25-year average of 85 deaths per year [3] - Texas, North Carolina, New Mexico, and Chicago experienced four recorded flood events within a week [5] - Elimination of FEMA could leave states like Texas and Florida without a crucial backstop during disasters [7][8] Budget Cuts & Potential Consequences - Federal budget cuts leading to a lack of weather balloons may have slightly degraded the ability to forecast the Texas floods in advance [2] - Proposed cuts to NOAA, including climate research funding, could make the US less safe in the future [4] - The administration's proposed cuts to departments could result in hundreds of billions of dollars in bills and drain economic activity [13] - Cuts to social safety nets are being considered to pay for tax cuts [14] Political & Economic Considerations - Disasters like the Texas floods are likely to spark conversations about the impact of budget cuts, particularly those involving science and research [5][6] - Lack of disaster preparedness due to budget cuts could lead to significant economic damage [9] - Recovery efforts after disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, highlight the important role of FEMA and the potential economic impact of inadequate rebuilding [10] - Political pressure will likely mount on both sides regarding disaster relief, especially since the Texas flood occurred in a red state [11]

with little explanation given as to why the Trump administration has declined to release nearly $7 billion in funding for school programs. Now, it's very important to know this funding was already allocated by Congress who has the power over the purse. So, this is something the Trump administration is doing that Congress should be handling.The withheld money will affect before and after school programs, summer school programs, teacher training, hiring translators for non-English-speaking students as well as ...