Washington Examiner

Cruz criticizes Biden for favoring ‘woke initiatives’ over hurricane-tracking planes.

Sen. Ted Cruz Raises Concerns Over Lack of Funding for Hurricane-Hunting​ Aircraft

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is highlighting a critical issue regarding the Biden administration’s budget. Earlier this year,⁣ the ⁢administration did not allocate funds for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric⁤ Administration’s (NOAA) hurricane-hunting aircraft. This ⁤concern arises after all three planes were grounded due‍ to repair ⁢issues just hours before Hurricane Idalia hit Florida.

NOAA alerted members of Congress on Wednesday⁣ night ⁢that all three aircraft, which collect critical storm data ⁢essential to forecasters, were experiencing mechanical⁢ issues in the final hours ahead of ‌the ‌storm’s landfall.

“The other ‌WP-3D Orion (N43RF), which had ‍been conducting ‌back-to-back, ‍round-the-clock‍ research missions for 11 of ‌the past ⁤12 days on Hurricanes Franklin and Idalia,​ experienced a ‍mechanical‌ issue, forcing⁣ the cancellation of a mission this morning to collect data‌ on Hurricane Idalia,” said an email sent to congressional offices.

NOAA emphasized that despite‍ the⁣ grounding of‍ the hurricane hunter aircraft, they were able⁤ to ​gather information from satellites, weather‍ buoys, and observing platforms in ⁤and on the ocean, along with ​other⁢ data sources like the National Weather Service’s Doppler radar.

Cruz’s Concerns and Budget Allocation

“NOAA’s hurricane hunting⁤ aircraft grounded due to repairs,” ⁣Cruz posted on X,⁤ formerly known as ‍Twitter. “Reminder: Biden’s budget includes‌ ZERO dollars for these aircraft. Biden’s NOAA⁢ budget request DID include⁢ $9.1M for woke‍ initiatives focused on ​environmental justice & equity.”

The Texas⁣ senator referred to the president’s budget request to Congress earlier this year, ‍which​ sought $9.1‍ million‌ to enhance “capabilities and knowledge sharing in coastal communities, ⁤and invest in science and management efforts in underserved U.S.⁤ Pacific and Caribbean territories.” This aligns with​ the administration’s commitment to advancing‌ racial ⁤equity and supporting ⁢underserved communities.

The mechanical issues with the planes have⁢ raised concerns among members of Congress and their staff regarding the reliability of this crucial forecasting tool, especially during ⁣what is expected to be​ an active hurricane season.

“NOAA’s statement on ⁤the grounding of Hurricane hunter aircraft downplays ​how bad this situation was. NOAA Corps had a‌ single plane flying 24-hour laps through‍ the storm for the last couple of days, plus the ‍same crew has been flying for 11⁣ out of the last⁢ 12 days,” said a‌ Senate Commerce Republican aide ⁤speaking on the condition of anonymity.

“Flying through ⁢a hurricane⁣ is ⁤hard on both the plane and the ⁣crew, and flying this schedule⁤ is a recipe for failure, either of the plane or the ‍crew members due to exhaustion. We were⁣ one broken switch ‍away⁤ from having zero hurricane hunters in the⁣ sky as a major storm approached. We heard‌ from the NOAA Hurricane center that a lack of data⁢ from these planes decreases their ability to predict the size and path of the storm,” the aide ⁢added.

The three hurricane-hunter​ planes⁣ are nearing the end of their life cycle, with ⁤two of them ⁤in service since⁤ the 1970s and the other‌ since the mid-1990s.

“They’re going to have to ​be retired ⁣by 2030, if not sooner,” a former senior NOAA official told the ‍Washington Post. “It really ⁢depends on how many flights they do. So if we have⁤ a couple of active seasons, they’re going‌ to hit their end of life a lot sooner.”

The president’s budget serves as a blueprint⁣ for Congress⁤ to consider while ⁤working on funding the government in ⁤the coming weeks. ​It remains uncertain whether lawmakers plan to allocate additional funding for the planes in the ⁣latest government⁢ funding package.

NOAA has presented ⁤plans to acquire⁣ four ⁣C-130 planes in their⁣ 2022 aircraft plan. The agency aims to replace two P-3s currently in ‌service and obtain “one additional aircraft to​ meet the⁤ expanding airborne data requirements and objectives.”

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