Article: Weather Service cuts irk lawmakers from the South: Agency cites reduced budget.(Nation)

Five Southern lawmakers have asked the General Accounting Office (GAO) to look into possible threats to public safety posed by staff cutbacks at National Weather Service facilities, including the National Hurricane Center in Florida.

Weather Service officials have said they were forced to eliminate up to 200 jobs and leave vacancies unfilled because Congress provided $27.5 million less in this year's budget than last year's.

The staff reductions have drawn fire on Capitol Hill, especially from Southern lawmakers fearful that the cuts might affect the Weather Service's ability to predict deadly hurricanes and tornadoes.

Sen. Thad Cochran, ...

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