Some Republican lawmakers are teaming up with Democrats to support a bipartisan initiative aimed at maintaining the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which has been linked to online censorship efforts.
Representative Don Bacon from Nebraska, along with Representative James Walkinshaw from Virginia, have voiced their concerns about cuts to government agencies proposed by the Trump administration. This administration has previously collaborated with private entities to limit online discourse and has questioned the validity of Hunter Biden’s laptop. CISA has reportedly diminished in size since Trump took office, losing about one-third of its staff due to layoffs and management changes.
“This administration has unfortunately undermined CISA over the past year. I don’t think they fully grasp the direct impact this has on many people, especially regarding defensive cybersecurity. Instead of scaling back, we ought to be enhancing the agency’s ability to safeguard our nation’s non-military cyber infrastructure,” Bacon stated during a speech at the National Cyber Innovation Forum.
Walkinshaw emphasized that restoring and enhancing CISA’s abilities should be prioritized.
Bacon conveyed to a news outlet that while efforts to discredit Hunter Biden’s laptop were misguided, the cuts to CISA have been “harmful to the nation.” He highlighted the agency’s crucial role in protecting sectors like finance and energy from cyber threats, labeling it as the frontline defense. He also criticized Democratic leadership for the prolonged shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, which includes CISA, during a crucial period when Trump was addressing threats from Iran, China, and Russia that target the U.S. daily.
Walkinshaw’s office did not respond quickly to requests for comment.
In the past year, lawmakers in both chambers have actively fought against budget cuts to CISA. Senate Appropriations Committee leaders recently dismissed the administration’s funding cut proposals for CISA in 2026.
Concerns are rising among former officials and industry experts, who fear that CISA lacks the necessary capacity to assist crucial sectors in bracing for increasing cyberattacks driven by artificial intelligence.
Republicans on the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection, led by Chairman Andy Ogles, have underscored the cyber threats faced by state and local governments as a result of CISA’s funding cuts.
Ogles expressed determination to prevent the expiration of the Protection of Local Leaders’ Information for Government Resilience Act (PILLAR), a legislation connected to CISA.
Other Republican representatives, such as Nancy Mace from South Carolina and Andrew Garbarino from New York, have affirmed support for CISA’s Cyber Mission and Infrastructure Partnerships.
Ranking members of the House Homeland Security Committee, Democrats Bennie Thompson and Delia Ramirez, communicated their worries regarding the administration’s actions in a letter to CISA Acting Director Nick Anderson.
They articulated concerns about a drop in security culture and management issues within CISA, noting that nearly 1,000 positions had been cut due to workforce reductions initiated by the Trump administration.
Senator Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky and chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, critiqued CISA and its backers, labeling it as a threat to First Amendment rights. He asserted that the agency had been “weaponized to suppress dissent.”
In April 2025, he voiced a desire to eliminate CISA, underscoring the significance of the First Amendment in his arguments against censorship.
The agency has sought to respond to claims regarding Hunter Biden’s laptop by associating it with conspiracy theories, with CISA officials characterizing the narrative as a “complex web of lies” aimed at undermining President Biden. The agency has also taken measures to combat “misinformation,” notably through initiatives during the 2020 election.
Notably, the contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop were verified shortly after Twitter locked the New York Post’s account for reporting on the topic in 2020. Subsequently, several media outlets corroborated the findings.
A letter signed by 51 former intelligence officials aimed at discrediting claims about the laptop had several signatories who later took positions in Biden’s administration.
This January, the Republican-led House approved a funding bill that included $2.2 billion for CISA’s operations for the entirety of 2026. However, Senate Democrats stripped this funding from a larger bill related to immigration issues, leading to a partial suspension of DHS activities.
In December 2021, the CISA Advisory Board had reportedly encouraged engagement with left-leaning organizations to further combat misinformation, as noted in a Daily Caller News Foundation report released the previous year.
