[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 150 (Wednesday, September 18, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S5551]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                           Election Security

  Mr. President, in the Appropriations Committee markup tomorrow, there 
will be a vote on an amendment to increase election security funding 
for the coming year. Senate Republicans blocked a similar amount last 
year, and, since then, Leader McConnell has stonewalled election 
security legislation, even the most bipartisan, sensible compromises.
  While we still greatly desire to move that legislation and believe it 
to be essential, additional funding for States to harden their election 
infrastructure and prevent Russian or Chinese or Iranian interference 
is what this amendment provides tomorrow and is a no-brainer.
  On the Senate floor yesterday, Leader McConnell said: ``As 
partisanship bogs us down here in Washington, Moscow and Beijing are 
not exactly slowing down to wait for us.'' I agree. Foreign adversaries 
are lining up to do what Putin did in 2016.
  With the Presidential campaign set to begin in earnest next year, the 
time is now to safeguard our elections from foreign interference. The 
country will be watching how Senate Republicans vote on the election 
security amendment tomorrow.