No Vote, No Leader: CISA Faces 2026 Without a Director

US Cyber Defense Agency Faces Procedural Delays Blocking Director Confirmation Chris Riotta (@chrisriotta) • December 5, 2025

Sean Plankey faces an uncertain path to helming the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency after his nomination as CISA director was left out of a legislation package advancing dozens of Republican picks to the full Senate, a setback that follows months of bipartisan procedural holds unrelated to the candidate himself.

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Senate aides said the move effectively freezes Plankey's nomination for the rest of the year and would require the White House to resubmit his name in 2026 if lawmakers do not schedule a floor vote before adjournment. That leaves CISA poised to enter 2026 without a Senate-confirmed director and no clear path for approving any nominee under current ...