Q: Is it true that if President Donald Trump hadn’t defunded the National Weather Service, the death toll in the Texas flooding would have been far lower or nonexistent? A: The Trump administration did not defund the NWS but did reduce the staff by 600 people.

AUSTIN, Texas — Austin Congressman Greg Casar and several other Democratic lawmakers have sent letters to U.S. leaders in the aftermath of deadly Central Texas floods, demanding answers about the federal response.

For years, employees say, they've had to do more with less. But the ability to fill in the gaps became strained to the breaking point when the Trump administration began pushing new staffing cuts.

Deadly flood in Texas sparks a debate over whether recent cuts and staffing shortages led to a greater loss of life.

While the chances of having an event similar to what had occurred in Texas are significantly lower, it raised a question about staffing at local National Weather Service (NWS) offices. Southcentral Kentucky is observed by two NWS offices: Paducah and Louisville.

Cuts to the National Weather Service has ignited debate about the agency's ability to respond to emergency weather events, like the Hill Country floods.

The tragic deaths after flooding in Texas show you can’t put a price on emergency infrastructure and disaster preparation, writes Armstrong Williams.

After deadly floodwaters swept through Central Texas, there are questions about the timeline of weather alerts and possible gaps in the warning system.