Alex Padilla U.S. Senator for California

Lawmakers demand copy of CISA’s review of its election security work after insufficient responses, blown deadlines to multiple letters regarding CISA firings and termination of election security efforts

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and U.S. Representative Joe Morelle (N.Y.-25), Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration, sent another letter demanding answers from senior officials at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on the status of their election-related work, including a copy of CISA’s review of its election security work. 

The Ranking Members sent two previous letters to CISA leadership regarding CISA’s pause on all election security-focused activities, the termination of funding for the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC), and the firings of CISA employees who previously worked on election security, including misinformation and disinformation issues. The lawmakers note in their letter that the agency’s response “offered little insight into the status of election security work at CISA” and that CISA still has not fulfilled their request for a copy of the agency’s review more than a month after the deadline.

“These staff and funding cuts raise grave concerns about the security and integrity of upcoming elections, where states and localities with limited budgets must protect their systems against foreign nation-states,” wrote the lawmakers. “Yet, during this time, we have received no additional updates or information from CISA about the status of this review.”

CISA reportedly completed its review of all election security-related funding, products, services, and positions early last month and shared it with officials at the Department of Homeland Security. After the Department of Government Efficiency was deployed to CISA, the agency is also preparing to fire a third of its workforce — 1,300 employees — threatening vital election security efforts. Padilla and Morelle also expressed that the permanent termination without notice of federal funds for EI-ISAC will lead to assistance for state and local election officials “being systematically dismantled.”

The lawmakers concluded by reminding CISA’s leadership of its responsibility to the congressional committees of jurisdiction. In addition to a copy of CISA’s review, Padilla and Morelle also asked for a substantive response to their two prior letters and a briefing on the findings of CISA’s assessment.

“The Department and CISA have a responsibility to be transparent and responsive to the House and Senate Committees with jurisdiction over federal elections regarding proposed changes that threaten election integrity,” concluded the lawmakers. “To that end, we expect a comprehensive response, including the final or latest copy of CISA’s review, no later than Friday, May 2.”

Ranking Members Padilla and Morelle have strongly opposed efforts by the Trump Administration to undermine federal agencies’ election security work. In addition to their previous letters to CISA leadership, Padilla and Morelle expressed serious concerns about the dangerous implications for elections following President Trump’s executive order purporting to bring independent regulatory agencies under total control of the White House. Padilla previously denounced the illegal firing of Federal Election Commission Chair Ellen Weintraub and led 10 Democratic Senators to demand President Trump rescind his attempt to fire Weintraub. 

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Ms. Bean and Ms. Harrington:

We are writing for a third time seeking urgent updates on the status of election-related work at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), including for a copy of CISA’s review of its election security work.

The agency’s March 7 response to our February 13 and March 4 letters offered little insight into the status of election security work at CISA, except for confirmation that CISA has paused all election security-focused activities pending this review and had already terminated federal funding in support of the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC). Following that March 7 response, House and Senate committee staff also made a specific document request in writing for CISA’s review of its election security activities.

Recent reporting indicates that this review conducted by CISA of all election security related funding, products, services, and positions was completed in early March and has been shared with officials at the Department of Homeland Security.  Other reports indicate that CISA is preparing to cut nearly one-third of its workforce, or 1,300 people, following the deployment of DOGE staff to the agency— a potentially devastating blow to election security.  Funding cuts to ISACs mean that help for state and local election administrators is “being systematically dismantled.” 

These staff and funding cuts raise grave concerns about the security and integrity of upcoming elections, where states and localities with limited budgets must protect their systems against foreign nation-states. Yet, during this time, we have received no additional updates or information from CISA about the status of this review.

Now, more than one month after the deadline set out in our March 4 letter, we again request a copy of CISA’s review, a substantive response to both letters, and a briefing on the findings of the agency’s assessment, including a discussion of any proposed changes occurring at the agency and an explanation of the rationale behind such changes.

The Department and CISA have a responsibility to be transparent and responsive to the House and Senate Committees with jurisdiction over federal elections regarding proposed changes that threaten election integrity. To that end, we expect a comprehensive response, including the final or latest copy of CISA’s review, no later than Friday, May 2.

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