Washington, D.C. – After the Senate Commerce Committee today voted along party lines to advance the nomination of Barry Myers, the former CEO of AccuWeather, to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Miriam Goldstein, director of Ocean Policy at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
NOAA has a long history of highly qualified leaders who have worked tirelessly to advance science in the public interest. Unfortunately, Barry Myers is simply unqualified to join them. Myers lacks scientific credentials, wants to privatize the National Weather Service for his own family’s profit, and has repeatedly tried to curb the free flow of data and safety information to the public. He also headed AccuWeather at a time when the company subjected female employees to sexual harassment and a hostile work environment. We need a NOAA administrator who will work to prioritize NOAA’s crucial mission of science, service and stewardship—not someone who will put his own private profit ahead of public safety.
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