[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 125 (Wednesday, July 24, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S5054]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--S. 1247

  Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I thank my colleague Senator Warner, 
and we will hear shortly from Senator Wyden.
  These two great colleagues are championing election security. Senator 
Warner, at the helm as vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee, has 
done as much as any American and any Member of this body to uncover the 
serious Russian threat to our election system. It is a threat not just 
from Russia but from other countries as well. That is why I have 
offered and will ask unanimous consent for the passage of S. 1247, the 
Duty To Report Act.
  This legislation, like Senator Warner's, is based on a very simple 
idea: If you see something, say something. The Duty To Report Act would 
require campaigns, candidates, and family members to immediately report 
to the FBI and the Federal Election Commission any offers of illegal 
foreign assistance. It differs in some technical aspects--for example, 
with regard to family members--from Senator Warner's proposed FIRE Act. 
Yet it is the same idea because it codifies into law what is already a 
moral duty, a patriotic duty, and basic common sense. It is already 
illegal to accept foreign assistance during a campaign. It is already 
illegal to solicit foreign assistance during a campaign. All this bill 
does is require campaigns and individuals to report such illegal 
foreign assistance directly to the FBI.
  Special Counsel Robert Mueller came before Congress today to answer 
questions about his very comprehensive and powerful report that 
documents the sweeping and systematic interference in our election, as 
he testified, to benefit, principally, Donald Trump's campaign. Yet 
this measure is about the future. It is about preventing such election 
interference in the future and providing a mandate and a duty to report 
any offers of assistance from a foreign government, like Russia.
  This report outlines the most serious attack on our democracy by a 
foreign power in our history. It tells the story of more than 150 
contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian agents. It tells the 
story of Russian covert and overt efforts to influence the outcome of 
our election by helping one candidate and hurting another, and it 
shows--perhaps most importantly for the purpose of this measure--that 
the Trump campaign knew of it, welcomed it, and happily accepted it.
  Mueller testified this morning:

       Over the course of my career, I have seen a number of 
     challenges to our democracy. The Russian Government's efforts 
     to interfere in our election is among the most serious. As I 
     said on May 29, this deserves the attention of every 
     American.

  Equally important is that, just yesterday, FBI Director Christopher 
Wray came before the Committee on the Judiciary and warned that the 
Russians are still actively trying to interfere in our election, which 
is what Mueller said today when he was asked about some of the remarks 
and some of the efforts in the Trump campaign. He was referring to 
Donald Trump, Jr., when he said, ``I love it,'' in welcoming Russia's 
offer of assistance to the Trump campaign in the June 9 meeting, 
Director Mueller said, ``I hope this is not the new normal, but I fear 
it is.''
  This is the context of troubling comments that brings us here today. 
One of the most troubling is President Trump's own comment when asked 
if he would accept foreign help in 2020, and he said, ``I would take 
it.'' That is why we need the Duty To Report Act. If that kind of 
assistance is offered, there is an obligation to report it, not to take 
it.
  The election of 2016 was simply a dress rehearsal. With the 2020 
election upon us, we must stop this kind of foreign interference and 
ensure that it is the American people, not Russia or any other foreign 
power like China or Iran, who decide who the leaders of this country 
will be and the direction of our democracy.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Rules 
and Administration be discharged from further consideration of S. 1247; 
that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration; that the bill 
be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to 
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no 
intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there an objection?
  Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. An objection is heard.
  Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I yield to another great colleague who 
has been a champion of this cause of election security, Senator Wyden.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oregon.

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