Hoyer Remarks at Press Conference with House Democrats on Election Security
Press Types
Press Release
For Immediate Release:
March 6, 2018
Contact Info:
Mariel Saez 202-225-3130
HOYER: I URGE THE MAJORITY ON THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE TO WORK WITH US TO FUND THE ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION IN FULL AND MEET THE THREAT FROM RUSSIA
WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) joined House Democratic Reps. Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), Jim Langevin (RI-02), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Brad Schneider (IL-10), and Jamie Raskin (MD-08) at a press conference on the urgent need for Republicans to appropriate necessary funds to the Election Assistance Commission as they work to secure our election infrastructure from Russian interference. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:
“Today is the start of the 2018 election season, with the first primary in Texas. We know that Russia has every motivation and intention to interfere again in our elections.
“It’s been more than a year since our intelligence agencies confirmed Russia’s role in trying to hack American elections through cyberattacks and misinformation campaigns.
“The Special Counsel’s investigation has already ensnared more than a dozen Russian Nationals for their involvement. But the Trump Administration has done nothing to address the weaknesses that were exposed or to prevent future attacks.
“Shockingly, the Trump State Department hasn’t spent a single penny of the $120 million allocated to combat foreign election interference. Meanwhile, the Republican-led Homeland Security and House Administration Committees have not held a single full-committee hearing on election security.
“Now, Republicans in Congress are starving our nation’s front-line election assistance agency of funding and preventing it from conducting its critical work.
“I was proud to work in a bipartisan way to create the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) when I wrote the Help America Vote Act of 2002. That agency helps states protect their voting systems by adopting best practices and improving technologies.
“The letter we are sending to the Appropriations Committee today asks that Congress: provide the EAC with $14 million to help states secure their voting systems in 2018; and direct the remaining $400 million in state grants that were authorized under HAVA - but never appropriated - to help states replace aging and vulnerable systems and train election staff in cybersecurity.
“I want to thank my colleagues who are here for their leadership in demanding action to protect America’s elections.
“The work performed by the EAC is a critical national security issue. We must not allow our election systems to be vulnerable to the kind of attacks that Russia engaged in during the 2016 cycle.
“I urge the majority on the Appropriations Committee to work with us to fund the EAC in full and provide sufficient resources to meet the threat from Russia.”
“Today is the start of the 2018 election season, with the first primary in Texas. We know that Russia has every motivation and intention to interfere again in our elections.
“It’s been more than a year since our intelligence agencies confirmed Russia’s role in trying to hack American elections through cyberattacks and misinformation campaigns.
“The Special Counsel’s investigation has already ensnared more than a dozen Russian Nationals for their involvement. But the Trump Administration has done nothing to address the weaknesses that were exposed or to prevent future attacks.
“Shockingly, the Trump State Department hasn’t spent a single penny of the $120 million allocated to combat foreign election interference. Meanwhile, the Republican-led Homeland Security and House Administration Committees have not held a single full-committee hearing on election security.
“Now, Republicans in Congress are starving our nation’s front-line election assistance agency of funding and preventing it from conducting its critical work.
“I was proud to work in a bipartisan way to create the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) when I wrote the Help America Vote Act of 2002. That agency helps states protect their voting systems by adopting best practices and improving technologies.
“The letter we are sending to the Appropriations Committee today asks that Congress: provide the EAC with $14 million to help states secure their voting systems in 2018; and direct the remaining $400 million in state grants that were authorized under HAVA - but never appropriated - to help states replace aging and vulnerable systems and train election staff in cybersecurity.
“I want to thank my colleagues who are here for their leadership in demanding action to protect America’s elections.
“The work performed by the EAC is a critical national security issue. We must not allow our election systems to be vulnerable to the kind of attacks that Russia engaged in during the 2016 cycle.
“I urge the majority on the Appropriations Committee to work with us to fund the EAC in full and provide sufficient resources to meet the threat from Russia.”