Trump’s NOAA nominee: Ongoing hiring freeze lift ‘challenging’ for its mission

President Donald Trump’s pick to run the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration told lawmakers that if confirmed, adequate staffing for the agency will be paramount in preparation for major budget cuts next year. Neil Jacobs, Trump’s nominee to serve as NOAA administrator, told members of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee that a governmentwide hiring freeze, recently extended to Oct. 15, has made it “challenging” for the agency to meet certain parts of its mission. Jacobs on Wednesday told lawmakers that staffing up NOAA will be a “top priority,”…

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