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Subcommittee grills FBI director on proposed $545 million cut; Patel urges about $11.2 billion to avoid layoffs
Summary
At a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on the FBI’s FY2026 funding, Director Kesh Patel warned a proposed $545 million cut would force staff reductions and asked lawmakers to restore roughly $11.1–$11.2 billion in operating funds to avoid further personnel losses.
At a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies budget hearing, Director Kesh Patel, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, told members the FBI needs roughly $11.1–$11.2 billion for fiscal 2026 and that a preliminary White House budget proposal cutting $545,000,000 from the bureau would force personnel reductions.
The request-and-reply exchange was framed around staffing and mission risk. "I'll ask you for money that I need and that the bureau needs, and I won't ask you for a dime more," Director Kesh Patel said when describing his approach to the agency's request. He warned that, if the proposed reductions were enacted, the FBI could be forced to remove an additional 1,300 employees.
The subcommittee's top members pressed for detail on how…
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