In another sign of congressional pushback on cuts to NOAA, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) asked the Commerce Department for detailed information on how the top federal weather, climate and oceans agency has been affected.

The potential closures come as the General Services Administration looks for opportunities to sell government buildings it says may not be needed.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), responsible for weather forecasting, is planning another round of mass layoffs, affecting 1,029 employees. This aligns with U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to reduce the number of staff in the federal civil service.

The Trump administration has told the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to expect to lose 1,000 jobs on top of the 1,300 employees already out. The combined hit to staffing would be about 20%,