Lawmakers Push to Maintain Funding for Cybersecurity Agency
Republican and Democratic members of Congress have opposed proposed reductions to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The agency has lost roughly one-third of its staff since January 2025 through layoffs and reassignments.
yna.co.krRepublican and Democratic lawmakers have joined efforts to restore funding and staffing levels at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, an agency within the Department of Homeland Security. Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon stated at the National Cyber Innovation Forum on Thursday that recent reductions have weakened the agency's ability to defend private-sector networks.
Bacon told the Daily Caller News Foundation that while past agency actions regarding the Hunter Biden laptop story were mistaken, the staffing and budget reductions remain harmful to national infrastructure protection. Virginia Rep. James Walkinshaw described restoring CISA capabilities as a top priority.
Senate Appropriations Committee leaders rejected the administration's proposed funding cuts for fiscal year 2026, according to the Federal News Network.
CISA has reduced its workforce by approximately one-third since President Donald Trump took office, including direct layoffs and Management Directed Reassignments. Documents obtained by the America First Legal Foundation showed agency staff linked reporting on Hunter Biden's laptop to conspiracy theories during the 2020 election period.
The agency also participated in the Election Integrity Partnership, which flagged social media content for removal during the 2020 election cycle. The Daily Caller News Foundation and later major news organizations verified the laptop contents.
Republicans passed a funding package in January that included $2.2 billion for CISA in fiscal year 2026 appropriations. Senate Democrats later removed the full Department of Homeland Security bill from the package during disputes over immigration enforcement, resulting in a partial agency shutdown.
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul has called for eliminating CISA, stating in June 2024 that he would at minimum seek to remove the agency's ability to flag online content. Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson and Illinois Rep. Delia Ramirez sent a joint letter to acting CISA Director Nick Anderson expressing concern over workforce reductions of nearly 1,000 personnel.
Republican members of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection warned that state and local governments face increased cyber threats due to the staffing cuts.
Key Facts
Story Timeline
3 events- May 27, 2026
Rep. Don Bacon spoke at National Cyber Innovation Forum opposing CISA cuts.
1 source@DailyCaller - January 2026
House passed funding package with $2.2 billion for CISA in FY2026.
1 source@DailyCaller - April 2025
Sen. Rand Paul stated agency had been weaponized to silence dissent.
1 source@DailyCaller
Potential Impact
- 01
State and local governments may face reduced federal cyber support.
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