Election Security Act seeks to shore up infrastructure, give states funds to protect against election cyberattacks, influence
Spurred by Russia’s assault on
the 2016 presidential election, the Election
Security Act a trio of Democrats in the House last week to safeguard U.S.
elections from attacks and interference by foreign entities would require the
president to develop a national strategy to protect the underpinnings of democracy as
well as creating a National Commission to Protect United States Democratic
Institutions.
The legislation, introduced by Rep.
Bennie G. Thompson, D-Miss., chairman of the House Committee on Homeland
Security, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., chairperson of the Committee on House
Administration, and Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., chairman of the Democracy Reform
Task Force, would mandate that states use paper ballots as well as create a set
of cybersecurity standard for voting systems vendors.
“The
Election Security Act – a key provision of the historic H.R. 1 reform effort –
will give states the resources they need to protect the integrity of our
election system,” Sarbanes said in a statement.
It would provide grants to help
states boost and ensure election system security and train election officials. Grants
also would be aimed at conducting audits after elections to limit risk going
forward.
Six months before an election
the director of national intelligence (DNI) would be required to assess
election systems threats and compel both the Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) and the Election Assistance Commission to make recommendations to address
any threats that are uncovered.
Officials would have to test
voting systems nine months prior to an election.
“With
the 2020 elections just 18 months away, we cannot afford to be complacent about
the security of our elections. Nothing less than the integrity of our democracy
is at stake,” Thompson said in a statement. “Despite repeated warnings from
well-respected national security officials the White House has failed to lead a
whole-of-government effort to keep our adversaries out of our elections, so
Congress will step up.”
Thompson
said lawmakers’ “top priority” would be ensuring “the full range of
capabilities from across the federal government are brought to bear to support
the states in the shared responsibility of election security.”
Noting
that election integrity shouldn’t be a partisan pursuit, Thompson urged
Republican legislators to back the bill.
“No
matter your side of the aisle, our oath to the Constitution is fundamental.
Federal action is needed now to protect our voting systems which are at the
core of our democracy,” Lofgren said in a statement.
Gloss