Senate appropriators press FBI director over missing spend plan, proposed $545 million cuts and plan to move jobs to the field

Senate appropriators pressed Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel at a subcommittee hearing about the bureau’s finances and staffing priorities, focusing on a one‑paragraph fiscal 2026 “skinny” budget, an overdue fiscal 2025 spend plan and a proposed $545,000,000 reduction that lawmakers said could force personnel cuts.

The hearing, convened by Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Chair Jerry Moran, sought detail on how the proposed reductions would affect FBI operations and whether the bureau could meet its priorities if Congress and the White House enacted the administration’s proposal. “The skinny budget proposes a reduction of $545,000,000 from the fiscal year 25 levels,” Moran said in his opening remarks.

Why it matters: senators said the missing spend plan and a lack of a full budget justification leave the committee unable to evaluate how taxpayer dollars are being used for counterterrorism, narcotics investigations, background checks and other core FBI missions. Ranking Member Senator Chris Van Hollen said the subcommittee was “having a hearing on the fiscal year 'twenty 6 budget request without an actual request.”

Patel told the panel he supports the president’s budget priorities…