The Trump administration’s plan to shut down a key weather research agency in Boulder, Colorado, is running into opposition — from Republicans.
According to NOTUS, “Republican Reps. Jeff Hurd, Jay Obernolte, Brian Fitzpatrick, and Jack Bergman joined Democrats, including Rep. Joe Neguse and Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, in a letter to Congressional appropriators Monday asking them to ensure sustained funding for the Colorado-based National Center for Atmospheric Research. Eighty lawmakers from both the Senate and the House signed the letter.”
NCAR is responsible, among other things, for research into fire and flood risk.
Hurd put out a statement saying, “Dismantling this institution doesn’t make sense, and I’m glad to work with my colleagues in both chambers to make sure NCAR has the funding it needs to keep operating. The scientists at NCAR are doing work that matters — work that helps families prepare for storms, helps farmers plan their seasons, and keeps us ahead on the world stage.”
“Supporting NCAR is a smart investment we should continue to make, not walk away from,” continued Hurd, who represents a sprawling district encompassing the Western Slope of Colorado.
President Donald Trump’s Office of Management and Budget director, Russ Vought, announced plans to dismantle NCAR earlier this month, proclaiming it is “one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country.” He said that functions of the agency the Trump administration deems essential will continue, just delegated to other agencies.
Bennet and Hickenlooper responded by blocking the “minibus” package Republicans hoped would prevent another federal government shutdown at the end of January, when the current continuing resolution expires.
This comes as Trump is also proceeding with a plan, initially devised in his first term, to relocate the U.S. Space Command headquarters from Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Alabama. This plan has drawn bipartisan fury from the entire Colorado congressional delegation, including Rep. Lauren Boebert, normally an unflinching supporter of Trump’s agenda.
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