WASHINGTON, D.C. — FBI Director Kash Patel urged an end to the partial government shutdown and encouraged legislative cooperation during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats. The hearing was held by the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Patel was expected to testify about plans to expand field operations and intelligence initiatives, including sending more agents into the field from Washington, D.C., and expanding biometric collection overseas. He planned to address doubling the size and funding for drone utilization and establishing a first-of-its-kind training center to assist local law enforcement with counter-drone training. Patel also planned to discuss new artificial intelligence initiatives to support intelligence collection.

"Under President Trump's leadership, this FBI has been rebuilt into a faster, more accountable force focused on protecting Americans and crushing violent crime," Patel said. "We've surged agents out of Washington and into the field, expanded biometric screening overseas to stop threats before they reach our homeland, overhauled our intelligence and operations systems, and strengthened partnerships and technology to move at the speed of today's threats. This is a results-driven FBI delivering real security for the American people."

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe, Director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency James Adams, and William Hartman, acting commander of U.S. Cyber Command, were also slated to testify at the hearing.

Sen. Chuck Grassley told Patel during the hearing, "You've begun the important work of returning the FBI to its law enforcement mission." Grassley said, "It's well-understood that your predecessor left you an FBI infected with politics."

"As I've committed to you during my confirmation hearing and my conversations with you, this FBI will not be weaponized anymore in either side of the aisle," Patel responded.

Patel's initiative resulted in the FBI sending more than 1,000 agents originally positioned in Washington, D.C., to locations around the country.

The FBI disrupted 1,800 gangs and criminal enterprises over the last year and seized over 2,250 kilos of fentanyl. The agency recorded a 112% increase in violent crime arrests, brought almost 350 cyber indictments, located 6,000 child victims, and arrested 1,700 child predators over the last year.

Democratic lawmakers charged Patel with politicizing the FBI. Republicans argued that the current efforts are aimed at reducing politicization of the FBI.