Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee passed an amendment that would provide $250 million in additional federal funding to help states improve election security. In response, Sam Berger, vice president of Democracy and Government Reform at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
After sustained public outcry following the Mueller report, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and his cohorts have been forced to take a small step toward improving the country’s election security. But it will take far more than $250 million to defend our election infrastructure from attacks or other systemic failures. And beyond federal funding, McConnell must stop blocking votes on substantive legislation that would improve election equipment and help prevent manipulation or system malfunction. In a report last year from the Center for American Progress finding that most state election systems remain vulnerable, CAP recommended multiple policy solutions, as well as robust funding for election security. With elections just over a year away, states need sufficient resources now to counter existing vulnerabilities and threats posed by foreign interference in our elections.
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For more information or to talk to an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected] or 202-478-6327.