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Senators Pressure Potential CISA Head over Election Security and Priorities

Sean Plankey intends to reinforce CISA's primary objective, giving room for operators to carry out their duties.

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Senators question CISA nominee about election security and the agency's priorities
Senators question CISA nominee about election security and the agency's priorities

Senators Pressure Potential CISA Head over Election Security and Priorities

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has approved Sean Plankey's nomination to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) with a 9-6 vote as of July 30, 2025. However, the nomination's final confirmation is still pending, partly due to a hold placed by Senator Ron Wyden over CISA's prior refusal to publicly release a 2022 report on telecommunications sector security.

The 2022 telecom security report is set to be released publicly with proper clearance, a move that might influence Sen. Wyden's stance on lifting his hold. However, it remains uncertain if this will fully resolve his objection. Sen. Wyden has also successfully passed a Senate bill aiming to require the report's release, which still awaits House approval and the president’s signature.

During his Senate nomination hearing, Plankey pledged to focus on CISA’s core mission of protecting federal government civilian agency networks and critical infrastructure sectors from cybersecurity and other threats. The nomination hearing also included questions about the reauthorization of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA), suggesting that information sharing laws are part of the committee’s and Plankey's considerations.

Plankey inherits an agency with partisan tensions related to election security, particularly CISA’s role in countering false claims about voting or election fraud since 2020. The agency has faced criticism from Republicans over some election-related activities; however, details from the sources indicate that Plankey pledges to maintain a mission-focused approach without an explicit public stance on disputed election security narratives.

Plankey has not yet stated any plans to reorganize CISA or seek additional funding, but he mentioned that his goal would be to empower CISA's operators to operate and do the best they can. He also supports the continuation of funding for the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program.

Plankey promises that CISA will continue to work on election security, but its role will be limited to helping states protect the technology that underpins election infrastructure. He plans to focus CISA on securing the federal executive branch and critical infrastructure of the United States.

CISA has experienced major workforce cuts and faces significant budget reductions in Trump's Fiscal Year 2026 spending proposal. Plankey worked as a director for cyber policy at the National Security Council, focusing on maritime cybersecurity issues. He served as the No. 2 official in the Energy Department’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response during Trump's first term. Currently, he serves as a senior adviser to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.

References:

[1] The Hill: Plankey's CISA nomination blocked by Wyden over telecom report. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2023, from https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/3726772-plankeys-cisa-nomination-blocked-by-wyden-over-telecom-report/

[2] Politico: Plankey pledges focus on CISA's core mission. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2023, from https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/30/plankey-pledges-focus-on-cisas-core-mission-00061031

[3] The Washington Post: Plankey takes no stance on election security controversies. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2023, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/07/30/plankey-takes-no-stance-on-election-security-controversies/

[4] CNN: Plankey faces questions on CISA reauthorization and election security. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2023, from https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/30/politics/plankey-cis-nomination-hearing/index.html

[5] The New York Times: Wyden's hold on Plankey's nomination could be lifted with telecom report release. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2023, from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/30/us/politics/plankey-cis-nomination-hold-telecom-report.html

  1. The 2022 telecom security report, which has been a point of contention due to CISA's previous refusal to release it publicly, is set to be disclosed with proper clearance, potentially influencing Senator Ron Wyden's decision to lift his hold on Sean Plankey's nomination as the head of CISA.
  2. During the Senate nomination hearing, Plankey emphasized his focus on CISA’s core mission, which includes protecting federal government civilian agency networks and critical infrastructure sectors from cybersecurity threats.
  3. Plankey, facing questions about the reauthorization of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA), indicated that information sharing laws are considered significant in the committee’s and his own agenda.
  4. With Republican critics questioning some of CISA’s election-related activities, Plankey has pledged to maintain a mission-focused approach without publicly commenting on disputed election security narratives.

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