The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is facing a nearly $500 million budget reduction as proposed by the Trump administration, raising concerns among House appropriators regarding its implications for national security given escalating cyber threats. Acting Director Bridget Bean faced scrutiny over these cuts during a hearing, particularly the impact on election security initiatives. Critics, including Rep. Lauren Underwood, argued that halting funds for key programs undermines CISA's ability to safeguard elections and critical infrastructure, questioning the rationale behind reshaping the agency amidst growing cyber adversarial risks.
"That's not cutting fat. That's a death blow," she said, adding that Trump is "offended by" CISA's congressionally-mandated mission to secure elections from foreign powers.
"Therefore, you cannot claim to be refocusing on core missions like enhancing the security and resilience of critical infrastructure while also eliminating election security support and staff," said Underwood.
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