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[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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