Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has called on the Commerce Department’s acting inspector general to investigate whether staffing vacancies at National Weather Service (NWS) offices, particularly in Texas, contributed to delays, gaps, or diminished accuracy in forecasting during recent flash flooding in the state. The flooding resulted in at least 78 deaths, including 28 children. Schumer’s request highlights concerns that job cuts and vacancies at the NWS under the Trump administration may have impaired the agency’s ability to provide timely flood warnings. Texas officials reported that alerts came too late, although the NWS has defended its response. Schumer emphasized the need to understand what went wrong and to improve future preparedness and response efforts. The investigation would examine if these staffing shortfalls exacerbated the impact of the deadly flooding event.