{"id":33927,"date":"2018-08-10T17:56:42","date_gmt":"2018-08-10T17:56:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2018\/08\/10\/new-election-security-bill-would-require-fast-action-from-feds\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:26:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:26:15","slug":"new-election-security-bill-would-require-fast-action-from-feds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/congress\/2018\/08\/10\/new-election-security-bill-would-require-fast-action-from-feds\/","title":{"rendered":"New election security bill would require fast action from feds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2013 A bipartisan group of lawmakers on the House Intelligence Committee is introducing legislation to protect local elections infrastructure from cyber attacks<\/a> following Russian meddling in the 2016 election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 47-page House bill, meant to prod information sharing between the federal government and local elections agencies, is sponsored by Republican Reps. Tom Rooney and Trey Gowdy, and Democrats Jim Himes and Terri Sewell. It\u2019s a companion to a Senate bill from Sens. James Lankford, D-Okla., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlthough the Russian government didn\u2019t change the outcome of the 2016 election, they certainly interfered with the intention of sowing discord and undermining Americans\u2019 faith in our democratic process,\u201d Rooney, R-Fla., said in a statement Friday. \u201cThere\u2019s no doubt in my mind they will continue to meddle in our elections this year and in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the 2016 election, the Department of Homeland Security contacted election officials in 21 states nearly a year after Russians tried to hack voter registration files or public election sites. In a handful of states, including Illinois, attackers penetrated computer systems, but officials said at the time there was no evidence voting machines had been hacked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bill comes amid growing alarm in Washington over Russia\u2019s attempts to interfere in 2018 midterm elections. Days earlier, Florida Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson, in a hotly contested race for reelection, said <\/a>Russian operatives penetrated some of his state\u2019s election systems. In June, Missouri Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, who is also in a competitive race, confirmed that Russians unsuccessfully attempted to hack her Senate computer network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am very concerned that you could have a hack that finally went through,\u201d Klobuchar said Aug. 5 on NBC\u2019s \u201cMeet the Press.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The House bill, like the Senate bill, is meant to boost information sharing between the federal government and local and state governments; it directs the Department of Homeland Security to ensure state election officials are appropriately cleared to receive vital classified information. The House bill also lets states and local jurisdictions apply for grants to replace outdated voting machines and modernize their elections systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\t