More Senators Criticize Administration's BIS Funding Cut
Six Senate Banking Committee Democrats, including ranking member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., asked the Trump administration March 26 to explain how it plans to implement the $20 million funding cut it recently imposed on the Bureau of Industry and Security, including whether it intends to shrink the agency’s workforce.
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In a letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, the senators said they’re “deeply” concerned that the 10.5% reduction, which leaves BIS with $171 million in FY 2025, “will impair essential enforcement activities, embolden our adversaries, endanger American lives and the freedom and safety of individuals living under oppressive regimes, and weaken global security and stability.” The cut was originally described as a 12% decrease but was later corrected.
The letter describes BIS as “one of our most important national security agencies” because of its role in keeping sensitive dual-use technology out of the hands of foreign adversaries. “These adversaries operate complex and ever-changing networks to divert and acquire leading edge American technology; it is grossly irresponsible to hamstring the agency at the forefront of preventing them from acquiring said technologies,” the senators wrote.
The letter came a day after Senate Appropriations Committee ranking member Patty Murray, D-Wash., criticized the administration for cutting $2.9 billion in programs that are vital to national security, including BIS (see 2503260050). Like Murray, the Senate Banking Democrats asserted that the administration does not have the legal authority to make such reductions to congressionally appropriated funds. In a March 27 letter to Vought, Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, joined Murray in questioning the administration's authority to make the $2.9 billion cut.
The White House, OMB and BIS didn't respond to requests for comment on the matter. The office of Senate Banking Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., declined to comment.