CNN: Trump Signs Major Disaster Declaration for Texas, National Weather Service Is ‘Downplaying’ Vacancies

HILL CNN s senior ░░░░░░░░ House reporter Kevin Liptak ░░░░░░░░ me now Kevin we ░░░░░░░░ heard from the president ░░░░░░░░ see him here arriving ░░░░░░░░ at Joint Base Andrews ░░░░░░░░ his way back ultimately ░░░░░░░░ the White House But ░░░░░░░░ did have some words ░░░░░░░░ a little time to ░░░░░░░░ go to the cameras ░░░░░░░░ some questions from reporters ░░░░░░░░ leaving New Jersey And ░░░░░░░░ was asked specifically about ░░░░░░░░ federal response in FEMA ░░░░░░░░ What did he have ░░░░░░░░ say LIPTAK Yeah that ░░░░░░░░ exactly right He does ░░░░░░░░ that he ll probably ░░░░░░░░ this affected area in ░░░░░░░░ on Friday He calls ░░░░░░░░ happened horrible and he ░░░░░░░░ vowing continued federal support ░░░░░░░░ the affected communities there ░░░░░░░░ today he signed that ░░░░░░░░ disaster declaration which does ░░░░░░░░ new federal funding for ░░░░░░░░ of the operation that ░░░░░░░░ underway It activates FEMA ░░░░░░░░ Federal Emergency Management Agency ░░░░░░░░ we do understand that ░░░░░░░░ S Coast Guard resources ░░░░░░░░ now on the ground ░░░░░░░░ as this search and ░░░░░░░░ operation is underway That ░░░░░░░░ two helicopters three fixed ░░░░░░░░ aircrafts that are fitted ░░░░░░░░ thermal cameras able to ░░░░░░░░ sort of movement that ░░░░░░░░ naked eye cannot see ░░░░░░░░ has also set up ░░░░░░░░ shelters in Texas that ░░░░░░░░ of 1 00 P ░░░░░░░░ today were housing 137 ░░░░░░░░ The president in that ░░░░░░░░ that he sent to ░░░░░░░░ Greg Abbott today also ░░░░░░░░ this handwritten addendum saying ░░░░░░░░ Secretary Kristi Noem is ░░░░░░░░ at all times Kristi ░░░░░░░░ obviously the Homeland Security ░░░░░░░░ But there are some ░░░░░░░░ that are being raised ░░░░░░░░ the staffing levels at ░░░░░░░░ National Weather Service in ░░░░░░░░ of these local offices ░░░░░░░░ Texas One critical position ░░░░░░░░ the warning coordination meteorologist ░░░░░░░░ the Austin San Antonio ░░░░░░░░ That position was left ░░░░░░░░ There were some other ░░░░░░░░ as well that came ░░░░░░░░ because of these early ░░░░░░░░ initiatives that President Trump ░░░░░░░░ put in place early ░░░░░░░░ his term as a ░░░░░░░░ to reduce the size ░░░░░░░░ the federal government Now ░░░░░░░░ have heard from some ░░░░░░░░ including at the National ░░░░░░░░ Service Union that are ░░░░░░░░ the role that these ░░░░░░░░ had They said they ░░░░░░░░ have adequate staffing and ░░░░░░░░ President Trump also addressed ░░░░░░░░ earlier today Listen to ░░░░░░░░ he said.”