U.S. Election Security Funding and DOJ Safeguards Slashed

Congress is moving to sharply reduce the budget of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and its election‑security grant program. The House Appropriations Committee proposal would cut the agency’s operating budget from $23.86 million to $17 million and lower grant funding from $45 million to $15 million, the same level as non‑election years. Critics argue the cuts contradict rhetoric about protecting elections, with Rep. Sanford Bishop saying, “If my colleagues truly cared about protecting our elections from foreign interference, they’d put the resources behind it.”

At the same time, the Department of Justice has quietly dismantled key election‑crime enforcement tools. Training sessions for prosecutors have been canceled, a 281‑page guidebook on federal election offenses was removed from DOJ websites, and the Public Integrity Section that oversaw election‑crime investigations has been gutted. Former prosecutor Ryan Crosswell called the move “scary,” noting the loss of an around‑the‑clock command center for Election Day emergencies.

Both actions reduce federal resources meant to safeguard U.S. elections, raising concerns about the ability to address election‑related threats and fraud.