{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://sorensen.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressmen-sorensen-flood-lead-bipartisan-letter-support-us-air-force", "Congressmen Sorensen, Flood Lead Bipartisan Letter of Support for U.S. Air Force Reserve\u2019s \u201cHurricane Hunters\u201d", "2026-09-17", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Eric Sorensen", "S001225", "sorensen.house.gov", "sorensen", "https://sorensen.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Today, Congressman Eric Sorensen (D, IL-17) and Congressman Mike Flood (R, NE-01) announced they led a bipartisan letter of support for the United States Air Force Reserve \u201cHurricane Hunters\u201d of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. The letter emphasizes the need for the unique data collection capabilities of the Hurricane Hunters, as well as the life-saving nature of their work.\n\n\u201cHurricane Hunters carry out vital missions flying directly into storms to garner real-time, precise data on wind speeds, atmospheric pressure, humidity, and temperature. This data, which cannot be gathered through other means, improves our ability to keep the homeland safe,\u201d wrote the Members in their letter. \u201cPrecise forecasts for intensity and zone of landfall allow Emergency Management the time and scope to move people away from danger as well as expedite recovery response, post-landfall. In an active season, our predictive capability saves billions of dollars and countless lives.\u201d\n\nEstablished in 1944, the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, known as the \u201cHurricane Hunters of the Air Force Reserve,\u201d is the only Department of Defense organization still flying into tropical storms and hurricanes. The unit is comprised of ten WC-130J aircraft and crews are part of the 403rd Wing, based at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi.\n\nJoining Congressmen Sorensen and Flood on this letter were Representatives: Ezell (R, MS-04), Gimenez (R, FL-28), Weber (R, TX-29), Salazar (R, FL-27), Edwards (R, NC-11), Houlahan (D, PA-06), Lawler (R, NY-17), Carson (D, IN-07), Case (D, HI-01), Steube (R, FL-17), Wilson (R, SC-02), Moskowitz (D, FL-23), Deluzio (D, PA-17), Frost (D, FL-10), Davis (D, NC-01), Castor (D, FL-14), and Ross (D, NC-02).\n\nRead the full text of the Representatives\u2019 letter here.\n\nCongressman Sorensen is the Co-Chair of the Weather Enterprise Caucus and is the only Meteorologist serving in Congress. After over two decades on local TV\u2014communicating life-saving information that impacted Illinoisans\u2019 jobs, schools, farms, and safety\u2014Sorensen came to Congress to continue that same work, now from Washington rather than in front of a green screen.\n\nTo learn more about Congressman Sorensen\u2019s continued advocacy on behalf of your community in Washington, visit his website here.\n\nCongressman Eric Sorensen represents Illinois\u2019 17th District in the United States House of Representatives. Prior to serving in Congress, Sorensen was a local meteorologist in Rockford and the Quad Cities for more than 20 years. His district includes Illinois\u2019 Quad Cities, Rockford, Peoria, and Bloomington-Normal.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-18T09:27:43Z", "2026-09-18T09:29:09Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://sorensen.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressmen-sorensen-flood-lead-bipartisan-letter-support-us-air-force"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.860249787569046, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}