[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 182 (Thursday, November 14, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S6580]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           ELECTION SECURITY

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, now, on another matter, last Tuesday 
was election day in dozens of States and localities, including in my 
home State of Kentucky. There was one important aspect of election day 
that didn't get much attention. Unlike in 2016, last week's elections 
were not marred to the same extent by foreign interference from our 
Nation's adversaries, and neither were the 2018 midterm elections last 
year.
  As of now, there are no reports of foreign intrusion into voter 
records and no reports of significant and successful disinformation 
efforts on social media or anywhere else. By any reasonable standard 
and by all available evidence, the past two elections have gone a whole 
lot more smoothly than back in 2016.
  Now, this wasn't for lack of trying. Russia and our other adversaries 
have tried for decades to interfere in our politics and to undermine 
the competence of the American people in our democracy, and they will 
not likely let up anytime soon. This fight is nowhere near over. But 
make no mistake, our defenses are a whole lot stronger.
  A massive coordinated effort to confront this threat has brought 
together the Congress, the Trump administration, all 50 States, the 
private sector, and more than 2,000 local jurisdictions. We have worked 
to address the weaknesses Russia sought to exploit during the Obama 
administration and have proactively strengthened our defenses.
  Last week, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Defense, the Acting 
Homeland Security Secretary, the acting DNI, and the heads of the FBI, 
the NSA, the U.S. Cyber Command, and the Cybersecurity and 
Infrastructure Security Agency issued a statement. Here is what it 
said:

       Election security is a top priority. . . . In an 
     unprecedented level of coordination, the U.S. government is 
     working with all 50 states and U.S. territories, local 
     officials, and private sector partners to identify threats, 
     broadly share information, and protect the democratic 
     process.

  Now, I know my colleagues already know about these significant 
efforts thanks to the groundwork laid by the Intelligence Committee's 
painstaking investigation. We know about it because we have provided 
$380 million to help modernize State election systems. Back in 
September, I cosponsored an amendment in committee that will bring the 
total to more than $600 million.
  We know about the progress because we have had a bipartisan, all-
Members briefing from administration experts. Senators literally broke 
into applause in appreciation for what the administration was doing to 
protect our election. The story is not finished. The crucial work 
continues, but the progress is undeniable.
  No longer is threat intelligence siloed within the Federal 
Government. This administration has moved to share vital information 
systematically with everyone, from States and localities to social 
media companies. No longer is interference cost-free for adversaries. 
The administration has sanctioned and prosecuted Russians engaged in 
election interference and issued an Executive order that paves the way 
for additional sanctions on those who seek to interfere.
  The Department of Homeland Security now runs a National Cybersecurity 
and Communications Integration Center--a physical war room of sorts--on 
election day for sharing information and coordinating action. That is 
along with an online platform that 200 jurisdictions reportedly tapped 
into last week.
  Long before election day, this administration was connecting with all 
50 States and more than 2,000 localities to deploy new cyber security 
tools, new training for election workers, and to provide threat alerts, 
and the list goes on and on.
  Our adversaries are still at the door, but for two election days in a 
row now, we have benefitted from stronger defenses. Progress like this 
should earn bipartisan applause. Like I said, behind closed doors, it 
did, but in public our Democratic colleagues have not loudly cheered 
the successes. Instead, they are trying to use the very serious issue 
of election security to repackage their long-held liberal view that 
Washington, DC, needs far more power over elections.
  Look, nobody really believes that all the partisan proposals from 
Speaker Pelosi and company are some kind of tailored response to 
Russian meddling, not when they transparently serve the same goals the 
Democrats have wanted since way before 2016.
  For goodness' sake, the New York Times was editorializing for 
federalizing elections right after election day 2012, even when they 
liked the outcome. That was the same election cycle, by the way, in 
which President Obama mocked--mocked--his Republican opponent for being 
too tough on Russia.
  So let's not mistake these long-held liberal policy goals as some 
new, targeted response to Russian meddling. Election security is too 
important to become a Trojan horse for ideological goals that Democrats 
have wanted for many years.
  We need to continue the serious work that Federal, State, and local 
officials are engaging in every day--work that is already yielding 
results--and we need to stay vigilant because our adversaries will not 
stop.
  So I want to salute the Federal, State, and local professionals who 
helped make last week an apparent election security success. I urge 
Senate Democrats to stop blocking a bipartisan appropriations process 
so that we can secure hundreds of millions of dollars more for the 
folks out there on the frontlines.

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