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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional Democrats on Wednesday introduced legislation that would provide more than $1 billion to boost cyber security of U.S. voting systems, saying inaction has made elections vulnerable to more interference from Russian hackers.
The cyber security bill followed warnings on Tuesday from U.S. intelligence officials that this year’s midterm races are likely to experience meddling from Russia and possibly other foreign adversaries.
“We cannot let the Russians laugh about and take joy in the success they had in the last election,” Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, said at a news conference. “Their goal is to undermine democracy.”
Lawmakers have introduced several bills, some with bipartisan support, to bolster election security since the 2016 election, though none have become law.
The legislation has no Republican co-sponsors in the House, which is controlled by the party. It is the most comprehensive bill to date and is aimed at bolstering protection for November’s midterms and subsequent elections.
The Election Security Act would provide $1 billion for the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to give to help states buy voting machines that incorporate backup paper ballots, hire security staff and conduct risk assessments.
The measure would create a $20 million grant program for states to perform post-election audits. States would also get $1 for each voter in the most recent election for security purposes.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ion-for-election-cyber-security-idUSKCN1FY2S5
I think this is not only a terrific idea, but an absolutely necessary one. I like all of the measures discussed in the article. I would like more money allocated, but besides that, it's great.
The cyber security bill followed warnings on Tuesday from U.S. intelligence officials that this year’s midterm races are likely to experience meddling from Russia and possibly other foreign adversaries.
“We cannot let the Russians laugh about and take joy in the success they had in the last election,” Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, said at a news conference. “Their goal is to undermine democracy.”
Lawmakers have introduced several bills, some with bipartisan support, to bolster election security since the 2016 election, though none have become law.
The legislation has no Republican co-sponsors in the House, which is controlled by the party. It is the most comprehensive bill to date and is aimed at bolstering protection for November’s midterms and subsequent elections.
The Election Security Act would provide $1 billion for the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to give to help states buy voting machines that incorporate backup paper ballots, hire security staff and conduct risk assessments.
The measure would create a $20 million grant program for states to perform post-election audits. States would also get $1 for each voter in the most recent election for security purposes.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ion-for-election-cyber-security-idUSKCN1FY2S5
I think this is not only a terrific idea, but an absolutely necessary one. I like all of the measures discussed in the article. I would like more money allocated, but besides that, it's great.
