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Sen. Mark Warner has asked the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency for detailed records on staffing, vacancies, attrition, and regional office capacity, warning that workforce reductions may have impaired the agency’s ability to help state and local governments defend against cyber threats. In a letter to acting CISA Director Nick Andersen, Warner requested organizational charts, explanations for employee departures, and historical service metrics since January 2023, including request volumes, fulfillment rates, and response times.
The inquiry comes amid broader concern over layoffs, early retirements, transfers, program cuts, and reduced support for the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, as well as continued budget pressure on the agency. Warner said CISA’s plan to hire about 330 employees appears insufficient given the threat environment, particularly for smaller governments and with the November 2026 midterm elections approaching; he also pointed to leadership instability, noting that half of CISA’s 10 regional directors are serving in an acting capacity.
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Sen. Mark Warner introduced the Guaranteeing Universal Access to Cybersecurity Act to restore federal funding support for the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center after he said DHS had stopped paying for the program and blocked grant funding for participation. The move accompanied his broader public warning that CISA staffing cuts and budget reductions were weakening support for state and local critical infrastructure operators.
In a letter to acting CISA Director Nick Andersen, Sen. Mark Warner requested staffing, vacancy, attrition, organizational, and service-delivery records from CISA, arguing workforce reductions may have weakened support for state and local governments against cyber threats.
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Five House Democrats asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate whether deep staffing and program cuts at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency have weakened the federal government’s ability to defend civilian networks and critical infrastructure. Lawmakers said CISA has lost nearly one-third of its workforce—falling from about 3,300 employees to roughly 2,200, with nearly 1,000 employees fired or departing—during a period of elevated cyber and physical threats, including attacks affecting utilities in at least 12 states and other active threats to critical infrastructure. The lawmakers asked GAO to review CISA’s workforce changes over the past five years, identify which programs were affected, and determine whether the agency’s human capital strategy aligns with its mission. The request comes as officials report reduced responsiveness, disrupted service delivery, leadership instability following Jen Easterly’s departure, and no Senate-confirmed director in place, while budget uncertainty persists over a proposed fiscal 2027 plan that would eliminate about 870 more positions and cut more than **$700 million**, even as House appropriators have backed additional funding and critical hires.
Aug 21, 2026
Senior officials at **NIST** said significant workforce and budget reductions are forcing the agency to narrow and reprioritize work tied to national security and cybersecurity, including mandates related to **AI**, **cybersecurity**, and **post-quantum encryption**. NIST’s Information Technology Laboratory reported losing roughly **89 staff** over the past year (within a headcount of 289), amid broader agency reductions of **700+ positions**, and warned that additional congressional cuts (including a proposed **$13M** reduction to NIST’s labs program) could further constrain technical programs such as cryptographic testing and validation used for federal procurement and joint validation efforts with the Canadian Centre for Cybersecurity. On Capitol Hill, House Homeland Security Committee Democrats pressed **CISA** Acting Director **Madhu Gottumukkala** on major workforce reductions—reported as about **one-third of the agency’s employees** departing over the past 12 months—and whether the agency can sustain its mission under current funding and staffing levels. Gottumukkala defended the reductions as part of a “mission-first” effort to eliminate duplication and align work to statutory authorities, while also signaling **targeted hiring** for key roles but declining to provide lawmakers a clear vacancy count or a definitive answer on whether recently appropriated DHS funding is sufficient for CISA to execute its responsibilities.
Jun 29, 2026
Bipartisan lawmakers and private-sector cybersecurity leaders warned that the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (**CISA**) has been significantly weakened after roughly a year of personnel cuts and layoffs under the second Trump administration, with reporting indicating the agency has lost about **one-third of its workforce** and shuttered or reduced entire divisions. Sources described diminished ability to execute core missions such as coordinating with industry and protecting federal civilian networks, with some organizations reportedly seeking alternatives (industry alliances, outside consultants, or direct government-to-government partnerships) rather than relying on CISA support. Reporting also tied the degradation to a prolonged **leadership vacuum**—with the administration’s nominee **Sean Plankey** not confirmed and Acting Director **Madhu Gottumukkala** criticized by some sources as struggling to lead—alongside political and operational pressures that deprioritized the agency. Specific capability impacts cited include reduced **counter-ransomware** efforts, work to promote **secure software development**, and losses affecting **election security** functions; additional strain was attributed to reassignment of staff to other DHS priorities and to a partial federal government shutdown that further reduced available staffing levels, raising concerns about CISA’s readiness to respond to a major cyber crisis.
Jun 29, 2026