President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration pledged to prioritize rebuilding the National Weather Service after a wave of firings and buyouts, while simultaneously defending proposed cuts to weather and climate research.

Testifying before the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday, Neil Jacobs, tapped to lead NOAA, called for sharper forecasting tools and clearer public alerts, just days after historic flooding in Central Texas left more than 100 dead and dozens missing.