[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 80 (Wednesday, May 16, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H3989]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
                        GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT CENTER

  (Mr. SCHNEIDER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, every week, we seem to learn more about 
the sophisticated network of social media bots and online ads used by 
Russia to spread disinformation during the 2016 election. But, as we 
approach our next election, the Trump administration refuses to see the 
very real threats or take the very necessary actions.
  Earlier this year, we learned the office tasked with countering 
foreign propaganda, the Global Engagement Center, the GEC, at the State 
Department had not deployed any of the $120 million it had been 
allocated to counter Russian information warfare, nor had it recruited 
a single analyst who speaks Russian.
  Mr. Speaker, the administration needs to take this threat seriously 
and act with appropriate urgency. That is why I have introduced 
legislation with my colleague, Ted Lieu, to clarify responsibilities 
for the GEC, expand its hiring authorities, and establish stronger 
congressional oversight. The GEC has a crucial role to play, 
understanding, exposing, and countering foreign propaganda and 
disinformation efforts.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join us on this legislation to 
ensure we are better prepared to counter all efforts to interfere in 
our electoral process.

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