[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 178 (Monday, October 19, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S6325]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                           Election Security

  Mr. President, despite these recent failures abroad, one of the 
biggest challenges we all face right now is the pressing threat to our 
democracy.
  As Americans across the Nation are currently casting their ballots by 
way of voting early in person or voting by mail for the next President 
of the United States, we are seeing increasing reports of Russian 
efforts to interfere in our election.
  The CIA has concluded that Vladimir Putin is likely directly involved 
in Russian efforts to promote disinformation, sow discord, and carry 
out cyber attacks on the United States. I cite for this the New York 
Times September 22, 2020, article.
  Former Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, a former 
Republican Senator here from Indiana on two different occasions--he 
served his State twice in that capacity--wrote in an op-ed recently:

       If we fail to take every conceivable effort to ensure the 
     integrity of our election, the winners will not be Donald 
     Trump or Joe Biden, Republicans or Democrats. The only 
     winners will be Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and Ali Khamenei.

  Leaders, of course, of China and Iran.
  Despite clear evidence, President Trump continues to deny Russian 
misconduct, and he continues to contradict our intelligence community.
  We should ask, what is the obligation of the Senate? I spent 4 
years--as many people have--urging the President from afar, at least, 
to actively demonstrate to us that his love of country outweighs his 
affinity for Putin. At this point in time, I don't expect his behavior 
to change. But it is incumbent--incumbent--upon the U.S. Senate, as 
part of a coequal branch of government, to call out the President and 
to hold him accountable when he engages in these kinds of actions or 
inactions, as the case may be.
  The Senate has taken some actions. This body has passed a number of 
substantive sanctions: the Countering America's Adversaries Through 
Sanctions Act--so-called CAATSA--against Russia for its aggression in 
Ukraine and interference in the 2016 election. That was the right thing 
to do and an appropriate thing to do.
  The Senate Intelligence Committee and other committees of 
jurisdiction have done important work documenting Russia's interference 
in the 2016 election, but that is not enough. The work cannot stop 
there. Russia has continued, will continue, and will continue to 
succeed in undermining our national security if we allow them.
  The silence of Senate Republicans on this issue of the President's 
total deference to Putin has become, in my judgment, complicity. Those 
who fail to stand up and loudly express their alarm are tacitly showing 
their approval. Their failure to take action is also its own danger to 
our democracy.
  Instead of prioritizing the unprecedented public health and economic 
crisis that is in front of us, some Republican-led committees--not all 
but some--are prioritizing a partisan political investigation, the 
basis for which stems directly from a known Russian disinformation 
campaign.
  In the face of intelligence reports showing that the Russians are 
once again seeking to influence this election, Senate Republicans have 
refused to pass a single piece of substantive election security 
legislation.
  There is still time. I will give one example or one suggestion to the 
majority. The SAFE Act, which requires paper ballots in Federal 
elections and would authorize $775 million in grants to help States 
secure their voting systems, passed the House 450 days ago, but 
Majority Leader McConnell would rather let this bill gather dust on his 
desk than take meaningful action to protect our democracy, to protect 
our election. The unwillingness to protect our elections from foreign 
interference is a dereliction of duty by the majority.
  Finally, in conclusion, I call on my colleagues to answer the call of 
duty to protect our election, protect our democracy, and protect our 
national security against malign and persistent Russian influence and 
interference orchestrated by the man President Trump has never 
criticized.
  Thank you.
  I yield the floor.

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