Watch live: Patel testifies before Senate on FBI budget

FBI director Kash Patel will testify on Thursday before the Senate Appropriations Committee on the agency’s budget for the next fiscal year.

The hearing comes a day after Patel told a House panel the White House’s budget request would not be sufficient to fund the FBI, asking appropriators to reject a more than $500 million proposed cut in favor of an increased budget. The request comes amid President Trump’s push to overhaul the federal workforce and cut government spending.

“The skinny budget is a proposal, and I’m working through the appropriations process to explain why we need more than what has been proposed,” the director said, drawing confusion from lawmakers who were accustomed to agency heads defending their budget.

The event is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. EDT.

Watch the live video above.