Van Hollen Joins Welch, Colleagues in Introducing Bill to Restore NOAA’s Extreme Weather Database, Keep Americans Informed of Natural Disasters

U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Seantor Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, in introducing the Measuring the Cost of Disasters Act, legislation that would reverse the Trump Administration's reckless decision to terminate the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s extreme weather database which has been vital to keeping families, researchers, and policy makers informed on the cost of natural disasters. The legislation would require NOAA to restore and maintain the Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database, which collects and publishes information on natural disasters resulting in at least $1 billion in damage each year in the United States.

The Measuring the Cost of Disasters Act is cosponsored by Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.).

"The Trump Administration continues to block any transparency when it comes to the cost of extreme weather damage, but that doesn't make the problem go away - instead it makes it harder for us to help communities prepare for the impacts of extreme weather and leaves them vulnerable when disaster strikes. Bringing this database back online is essential to our efforts to prepare for disasters and the work of rebuilding that comes after," said Senator Van Hollen.

"The Trump Administration is on the warpath to attack science and wreck any progress we've made to help fight climate change. That includes the President's decision to terminate NOAA's extreme weather tracker, which was vital in sharing information with Vermonters during and after the brutal floods in July of 2023 and 2024. And it's not just Vermont-this database has been absolutely essential in providing information about the cost of building back homes, businesses, and towns across the country after major weather disasters. The reality is that without this tool, we'll be worse off and less informed about how to help our communities recover when natural disasters hit," said Senator Welch. "Our legislation will reverse the Trump Administration's reckless decision and restore this database so crucial to emergency preparedness and reducing costs of natural disasters."

From 1980-2024, the Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database recorded 403 weather and climate disasters resulting in at least $1 billion in damages. Combined, losses from these events exceed $2.9 trillion. Over the same time period, Vermont experienced 19 natural disasters with at least $1 billion in losses, including the catastrophic flooding in July 2023.

"Climate disasters are surging-in frequency, in death tolls, and in costs to our country. Instead of helping families weather the storm, the Trump administration is ripping away funding for emergency response, for building resilient communities, and for FEMA. And instead of stopping the damage, the Trump administration is hiding the evidence. I'm supporting this bill because Americans have a right to know how much these climate-fueled disasters are costing our communities," said Senator Markey.

"Western Maryland suffered devastating flash flooding this year. I saw firsthand how advance warning systems and data-sharing can help communities act fast in an emergency. We need the capacity to collect and publish information on this natural disaster - and all others - to help better prepare for the next one. Funding the NOAA's Weather and Climate Disasters databases saves Americans lives. Trump doesn't care, but I do. We must restore this essential service," said Senator Alsobrooks.

"With catastrophic storms and other natural disasters becoming the new norm, the American public needs more transparency and better information. Restoring NOAA's Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters Database is critical to understanding the costs of extreme weather. This vital tool helps families, businesses, and public agencies as they respond to emergencies and rebuild," said Senator Blumenthal.

"NOAA's database on the impacts of severe weather events is essential. As climate change increases the severity, frequency, and cost of these events, we must do more to help our communities prepare and respond," said Senator Reed. "This data has been instrumental in helping communities better understand the growing toll of extreme weather. The Trump Administration's actions to significantly downsize NOAA leaves our communities less prepared and less informed about the dangers of severe weather events."

"Trump's megadonors want to hide the skyrocketing costs of their decades-long fossil fuel disinformation campaign. That's why the corrupt Trump Administration shut down data reporting on billion-dollar weather disasters. Hiding the cost of climate chaos-as extreme weather grows increasingly frequent-won't protect families and communities, but it will enable Trump's fossil fuel patrons to keep cashing in while the rest of us pay the price," said Senator Whitehouse.

"As wildfires, drought, and floods devastate communities in Colorado and across the country, the research at NOAA has never been more essential," said Senator Bennet. "The Trump Administration's abrupt elimination of the billion-dollar disaster database undermines our preparedness, raises recovery costs, and puts communities at even greater risk from extreme weather disasters. The database must be restored immediately to protect lives, property, and affordability."

"Climate change is making extreme weather events more frequent and more severe," said Senator Smith. "These disasters uproot lives, damage our property, and cost Americans billions of dollars. It's critical that NOAA continues to accurately track these events and to keep this important data publicly available for local communities to use in their emergency preparedness efforts. This bill to reinstate NOAA's Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database will save people money by helping us be better prepared for the costs when natural disasters strike."

"Whether it's wildfires in Oregon or flooding in Texas hill country, deadly weather events have become a way of life for too many Americans," said Senator Wyden. "While Donald Trump forces his anti-science agenda on the American people and kneecaps federal emergency response, I'm all in to help communities better prepare for and respond to natural disasters. I'm proud to cosponsor the Measuring the Cost of Disasters Act to restore critical information for states and communities to do just that."

"Climate change is making extreme weather and disasters more frequent and increasingly catastrophic. We need clear, accessible information about the costs and impacts of these disasters," said Senator Heinrich. "I'm proud to cosponsor legislation that will require the Trump Administration to update and make government data on extreme weather and natural disasters free and more accessible for the American people. We deserve to know why costs are surging."

Since 1980, NOAA has maintained a database of all weather disasters in the United States totaling at least $1 billion in damage. The Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database has been essential in tracking how an exponential increase in climate-driven natural disasters over the last two decades has raised costs associated with disaster recovery. The database has also helped communities and lawmakers more effectively allocate resources before extreme weather events.

In 2024, the United States experienced 27 individual weather and climate disasters over $1 billion in damages, totaling more than $182.7 billion-the fourth highest on record behind 2017, 2005, and 2022. As the severity and cost of natural disasters continue to rise, research tracking the type and frequency of extreme weather events is crucial to ensuring the efficient allocation of resources and effective resilience strategies.

However, in May 2025, the Trump Administration discontinued the Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database as part of its efforts to destroy programs and research related to climate change. Cancelling this publicly available database threatens emergency preparedness, undercuts science research vital to fighting climate change, and weakens national and community-level efforts to reduce the cost of disasters.

Learn more about the Measuring the Cost of Disasters Act.

Read and download the full text of the bill.