S5078 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 25, 2019 Principle No. 3, Be willing to change We rise on the floor because, when These are not revolutionary changes. the bureaucracy rather than abandon Russia or any foreign power seeks to They are basic commonsense steps to the goal. interfere in our elections, it eats at the greatly improve the security of our [W]e will call on NASA not just to adopt wellsprings of our democracy. elections after President Putin con- new policies but to embrace a new mindset. The Founding Fathers, in their wis- ducted a systemic attack on our de- That begins with setting bold goals and stay- dom, said that one of the greatest mocracy and intends to do it again. ing on schedule. threats to our democracy was foreign The House has passed this bill al- A new mindset matters. Failure is interference. Now we are faced with the ready. We could deliver it to the Presi- not an option. The willingness to post- specter of it, and we are asking our Re- dent today. pone our goal, as President Kennedy publican colleagues to join with us in Now, the Republican leader has al- said almost 60 years ago, is not an op- doing everything we can to stop it. ready indicated his intention to bury tion. This is serious stuff. this bill in the legislative graveyard. Principle No. 4, Be determined to Mr. Mueller said yesterday: That is a disgrace. That would be as if change the bureaucracy in funda- Russian interference wasn’t a single at- we said: We don’t need a military. We mental ways. tempt. They are doing it as we sit here, and don’t need ships off our shores or NASA must transform itself into a leaner, they expect to do it in the next campaign. planes in the air. more accountable, and more agile organiza- That is Robert Mueller, one of the Attacks on our elections are as great tion. If NASA is not currently capable of most authoritative voices on this issue. a threat to our national security as landing American astronauts [men and Mueller warned that ‘‘much more any other, and yet, for reasons inex- women] on the Moon in five years, we need to change the organization, not the mission. needs to be done’’ to fortify against fu- plicable, the Republican leader refuses ture attacks, not just from Russia but By the way, as for principle No. 5, I to bring legislation to the floor, legis- from others looking to interfere in our know, in the Presiding Officer’s case, it lation that has been crafted in a bipar- elections as well. is coming from private business and tisan way. Mr. Mueller is not the only one call- Many of the bills that are before us might be his most important principle. Principle No. 5, Urgency must re- ing for action on election security. FBI have Democratic and Republican spon- place complacency. Director Wray, appointed by President sors, and if the rumors are true, the The hardest thing to achieve in gov- Trump, has said the same. Director of leader urged the Republicans to back ernment is just to drive to a result. National Intelligence Coats, also ap- off. The fifth principle that the Vice Presi- pointed by President Trump, has There are only two inferences, nei- dent set out is exactly that. It is not stressed that foreign actors ‘‘will add ther good. One is that the Republican just competition against our adver- new tactics as they learn from 2016.’’ side doesn’t care about interference in saries; it is, frankly, competition So we must do more. This is not a our elections, and the other is that against our worst enemy—compla- Democratic issue or a Republican they want it because maybe they think cency. It is competition against our issue. This is not a liberal issue or a it will benefit them. own willingness to believe that things moderate issue or conservative issue. I know that President Trump doesn’t aren’t going to happen that clearly can This is an issue of patriotism, of na- like to talk about this. He childishly happen. tional security, of protecting the very thinks this will cast aspersions on the This is a great goal. It is a step to the integrity of American democracy— legitimacy of his election. That is sort Moon and beyond. It is a step outside something so many of our forebears of a very babyish, selfish thing to our solar system to other solar sys- died for. think when our security is at risk. tems. In our lifetimes, we may not see And what do we hear from the Repub- But where are our Republican col- much of that, but this is not about our lican side? Nothing. There is no cre- leagues when our national security is lifetimes; this is about a step into the dence to the claim made by the leader threatened? Where are our Republican future. that we have already done enough in colleagues? If we invite the Russians to I applaud the President and the Vice this Chamber. Mueller, Wray, and interfere by not doing enough and they President for their leadership here. I Coats all said that we need to do do and Americans lose faith in the fun- look forward to applying those five more—all of them. damental wellspring of America, our principles. By the way, I think almost Here in the Senate, the Senate Intel- grand democracy, this is the beginning all of those principles are five prin- ligence Committee, led by Senator of the end of democracy in this coun- ciples we could apply to government BURR of North Carolina, a Republican, try. every day, and we would have a more has recommended we do more. They As George Washington, James Madi- effective government if we would. too say otherwise. Yet Leader MCCON- son, and Benjamin Franklin warned us, I yield the floor. NELL and the Republican majority we must do all we can to prevent for- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The mi- refuse to do anything. eign interference in our elections. By nority leader. So in a moment I am going to ask allowing this UC request to go through, f unanimous consent to pass legislation we will be taking a giant first step. I that safeguards our election. This leg- hope the leader goes along. ELECTION SECURITY islation passed the House nearly a And, again, if he says the States Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I have month ago. It would provide immediate don’t need it, the States say they do. a unanimous consent request. I know resources for the States to modernize They are the judge. my colleague from Connecticut has one their election infrastructure and estab- I will be asking my request in a as well. In deference to the leader’s lish a consistent funding stream to minute, but first let me yield to Sen- schedule, I will speak for a few minutes maintain it. ator BLUMENTHAL, who will also have a on mine, and then I will yield to Sen- The States say they need more UC request. ator BLUMENTHAL. He will speak for a money. It will require the use of paper The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- few minutes on his, and then we will ballots. Almost every expert agrees ator from Connecticut. wait for the leader, who is supposed to that that is needed to protect elections Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I come out in about 5 minutes, to object, from manipulation, because if they ma- thank my colleague from New York, if he so chooses. We will make the re- nipulate the machines, the paper bal- our distinguished leader, for his very quest after that. lots will be a safeguard. powerful and compelling remarks and Now, yesterday, everybody heard It would require States to conduct for his steadfast leadership on this Special Counsel Mueller, and there was postelection risk-limiting audits, and issue of election security. a lot of dispute about obstruction of it would shore up the cyber security of The issue of election security goes to justice and things like that. There was voting systems and ensure that elec- the core of our national security. In virtually no dispute about two facts tion technology vendors are held to the the last Presidential election, this Na- that Mueller said. One, the Russians highest standards so the Russians or no tion was attacked. It was an attack as interfered in our elections in 2016, and, one else can hack into these machines pernicious and insidious as any in this two, they plan to do it in 2020. and interfere. country’s history, although it was less

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:47 Jul 26, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G25JY6.007 S25JYPT1 dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE July 25, 2019 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S5079 visible than bombs dropped at Pearl said on May 29, this deserves the attention of STATE OF MINNESOTA, Harbor and less dramatic than the at- every American. OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, tacks on our troops elsewhere, whether St. Paul, MN, June 18, 2019. The legislation Senator SCHUMER is in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was an at- Hon. RICHARD SHELBY, offering through unanimous consent Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, tack on this Nation, and some of us now, the legislation that I am offering Washington, DC. have called it, in fact, an act of war on Hon. ROY BLUNT, both sides of the aisle. by unanimous consent now, is nec- Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Ad- On both sides of the aisle there has essary as a matter of urgent national ministration, Washington, DC. been unanimity, in fact, that the at- security. We have no choice but to de- Hon. PATRICK LEAHY, tack was by the Russians through so- fend our Nation and our democracy. Vice Chair, Senate Committee on Appropria- cial media and through other means Given the sweeping, sophisticated at- tions, Washington, DC. and tools of misinformation and Hon. AMY KLOBUCHAR, tack by the Russians outlined in the Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Rules disinformation to interfere with our Mueller report and confirmed by his and Administration, Washington, DC. election. That unanimity comes not testimony yesterday, we have an obli- DEAR HONORABLE COMMITTEE MEMBERS: only from Robert Mueller, a distin- gation to act now, as we would against The undersigned Attorneys General write to guished public servant and dedicated express our significant concern regarding the any impending attack in our history. American, but also from our entire in- persistent threats to our election systems telligence community. Just the day before yesterday, FBI and to urge Congress to take action to pro- There is only one person in a position Director Christopher Wray came before tect the integrity of our election infrastruc- ture. of authority who disagrees, and that is the Judiciary Committee and warned Intelligence officials and the Department the President of the United States, who that the Russians are actively trying of Justice continue to warn that our election finds Vladimir Putin more credible to interfere in our elections right now, systems have been a target for foreign adver- than our intelligence community and in real time, as we speak here. He has saries and that those same adversaries are has said so publicly. currently working to undermine the upcom- told this body that if a foreign agent or In a few moments, I will ask for ing elections. The Special Counsel’s Report unanimous consent for the passage of government tries to help a campaign, concludes that Russia interfered in our elec- tions in a ‘‘sweeping and systematic fash- S. 1247, the Duty to Report Act, which the FBI would want to know about it. That also is a matter of simple moral ion.’’ New reports confirm that Russia suc- would address the President’s saying cessfully breached election systems in Flor- very explicitly that he would accept duty, patriotic duty, and common ida and the Department of Homeland Secu- outside help from a foreign power, sense. rity is reviewing computers used in North again, in the course of an election. When asked if he would accept for- Carolina after the state experienced irreg- ularities on Election Day. In addition, docu- The proof is overwhelming that the eign help in 2020, the President said, Trump campaign accepted it in the last ments leaked by the National Security Agen- ‘‘I’d take it.’’ This is much like when cy show that hackers working for Russian election. But even disputing those military intelligence installed malware on a facts, even putting aside the Presi- his son, Don Junior, said ‘‘I love it’’ in response to Russia’s offer of assistance voting systems software company used in dent’s contention that there was never eight states, including North Carolina. Rus- an attack from the Russians, the opin- to the Trump campaign in the June 9th sia’s military intelligence service also broad- ion is overwhelming that we must act meeting now infamous in these Halls ly performed reconnaissance on state and on a very simple idea: If you see some- and in the country. local election boards, researched—and in thing, say something. some cases targeted—the election infrastruc- When Mueller was asked about this ture of all 50 states, successfully invaded The Duty to Report Act that I have yesterday, he said, ‘‘I hope this is not state election websites to steal sensitive in- offered would require companies, can- the new normal, but I fear it is.’’ Well, formation from tens of thousands of Amer- didates, and family members to imme- it doesn’t have to be the new normal if ican voters, and hacked into a company that diately report to the FBI and to the supplies voting software to states across the Federal Election Commission any of- Congress passes the Duty to Report U.S. fers of Federal assistance. Act. This legislation would ensure that In the wake of these attacks on our democ- It codifies into law what is already— if any campaign—literally any cam- racy, the Congress and Federal Government I think we all agree—a moral duty, a paign—were offered any assistance have taken some important steps to address the threats facing our democracy. The De- patriotic duty, a matter of common from any foreign government in any fu- partment of Homeland Security is working sense. It is already illegal to accept ture election, the FBI would learn of it. with states to improve election security, and foreign assistance during a campaign. Mr. President, 2016 was just a dress in the 2018 Omnibus, Congress provided $380 It is already illegal to solicit foreign million in grant funding to help states se- assistance during a campaign. rehearsal. We can expect that the same cure their election systems. The Election As- All this bill does is require cam- will happen with greater intensity and sistance Commission, the federal agency paigns and individuals to report such sophistication in the election to come. charged with disseminating and auditing the illegal foreign assistance directly to We have a duty to act against it—tak- election security grants, projects that states ing the measure sent to us by the will spend approximately $324 million, or 85 the FBI. percent of the grant funds, prior to the 2020 Yesterday, Robert Mueller came be- House of Representatives, introduced elections. This funding was an important fore Congress to answer questions for unanimous consent by Senator first step in helping to secure our election about his sweeping investigation and SCHUMER now, and the Duty to Report infrastructure, however more must be done. 448-page report. This report documents Act now—so that we protect our de- Our state and local election officials are on the front-lines of the fight to protect our compellingly and convincingly the mocracy going forward. most serious attack on our democracy election infrastructure, but they lack the re- by a foreign power in our history. It Mr. President, I yield the floor. sources necessary to combat a sophisticated foreign adversary like Russia. Therefore, we tells the story of 140 contacts between The PRESIDING OFFICER. The respectfully request that you provide addi- the Trump campaign and Russian Democratic leader. tional assistance to states seeking to mod- agents. It proves Russian covert and Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask ernize their elections systems and take the overt efforts to influence the outcome following actions to protect our elections of our election by helping one can- unanimous consent to have printed in from future attacks: didate and hurting another. It shows the RECORD a letter from 21 attorneys Provide additional election security grants powerfully the Trump campaign’s general saying they need more election to states and localities. Today, more than at assistance to protect against foreign any other time in our nation’s history, elec- knowledge of that effort and willing- tion officials face unique challenges that re- ness to accept that help. interference. quire access to federal financial support. Ad- Mueller testified yesterday: There being no objection, the mate- ditional funding for voting infrastructure Over the course of my career, I’ve seen a rial was ordered to be printed in the will not only allow states to upgrade elec- number of challenges to our democracy. The tion equipment and voter registration sys- Russian government’s effort to interfere in RECORD, as follows: tems and databases, it will allow them to our election is among the most serious. As I further fortify their election systems from

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:47 Jul 26, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G25JY6.010 S25JYPT1 dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with SENATE S5080 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 25, 2019 future cyberattacks. Sustained federal fund- Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, re- BUSINESS BEFORE THE SENATE ing is necessary to pay for continued train- serving the right to object, what my Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, ing, equipment replacements, software up- friend the Democratic leader is asking for the information of all of our col- grades and implementation of security con- leagues, I want to provide an update on trols. This funding is vital if we are to ade- unanimous consent to pass is partisan quately equip our states with the resources legislation from the Democratic House the remaining items the Senate needs we need to safeguard our democracy. of Representatives relating to Amer- to complete before we adjourn for the Support the establishment of cybersecu- ican elections. This is the same Demo- August State work period. rity and audit standards for election sys- cratic House that made its first big pri- Here is what we need to accomplish tems. It is critical that the federal govern- ority in this Congress a sweeping par- before Members depart next week: We ment work with elections officials and tech- tisan effort to rewrite all kinds of the need to confirm well-qualified nomi- nical experts to establish guidelines and best rules of American politics—not to nees to two open positions of utmost practices for election security. We believe that the U.S. Election Assistance Commis- achieve greater fairness but to give importance—the Deputy Secretary of sion should update its standards for voting themselves a one-sided political ben- Defense and our Ambassador to the machines and take a stronger regulatory efit. U.N. These jobs are important, the role in testing voting equipment before it is The particular bill the Democratic nominees are impressive, and we need sold to states. The federal government leader is asking to move by unanimous to confirm David Norquist and Kelly should also keep state elections officials consent is so partisan that it received Craft next week. closely informed about suspected breaches, one—just one—Republican vote over in Obviously, we need to pass the bipar- alerts, and related intelligence. There should tisan funding agreement that President be clear channels of communication so that the House. Clearly, this request is not local and state officials can share informa- a serious effort to make a law. Clearly, Trump’s negotiating team worked out tion with federal authorities. something so partisan that it only re- with Speaker PELOSI. The House will Pass election-security legislation. Last ceived one single solitary Republican pass it today. The President is strongly year, a group of state attorneys general vote in the House is not going to travel in support of it. The Senate needs to voiced support for the Secure Elections Act, through the Senate by unanimous con- pass it and put it on the President’s bipartisan legislation that would improve in- sent. desk next week. formation sharing and strengthen election It is very important that we main- We need to make more headway on security. We reiterate our support for action the backlog of qualified judicial nomi- on election security reform. The National tain the integrity and security of our Association of Secretaries of State and our elections in our country. Any Wash- nees who are waiting for confirmation, state elections officials can be a valuable re- ington involvement in that task needs so next week we will also need to proc- source as Congress considers specific pro- to be undertaken with extreme care ess a significant, bipartisan package of posals. and on a thoroughly bipartisan basis. district court nominees. The nature of the threat against our elec- Obviously, this legislation is not that. That is our to-do list for next week— tion systems requires the federal govern- It is just a highly partisan bill from the Deputy Secretary of Defense, the ment to provide increased assistance to the U.N. Ambassador, the bipartisan gov- states. Securing our election systems is a the same folks who spent 2 years matter of national security and we hope that hyping up a conspiracy theory about ernment funding agreement, and a sig- you will take immediate action to protect President Trump and Russia and who nificant group of well-qualified judges. our election infrastructure and restore continue to ignore this administra- Not bad for a week’s work. That is Americans’ trust in our election systems. tion’s progress in correcting the Obama what the Senate will accomplish before Keith Ellison, Attorney General of Min- administration’s failures on this sub- we adjourn for August. nesota; Philip Weiser, Attorney Gen- ject in the 2018 election; therefore, I ob- f eral of Colorado; Kathleen Jennings, Attorney General of Delaware; Kwame ject. EXECUTIVE SESSION Raoul, Attorney General of Illinois; The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- Brian Frosh, Attorney General of tion is heard. Maryland; Dana Nessel, Attorney Gen- The Democratic leader. EXECUTIVE CALENDAR eral of Michigan; Xavier Becerra, At- Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, just Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, torney General of California’ William for a moment, there are bipartisan bills Tong, Attorney General of Con- I move to proceed to executive session on this issue which the Republican ma- to consider Calendar No. 119. necticut; Clare E. Connors, Attorney jority has objected to. I suggest to my General of Hawaii; Tom Miller, Attor- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ney General of Iowa; Maura Healey, At- friend the majority leader, if he doesn’t question is on agreeing to the motion. torney General of Massachusetts; Jim like this bill, let’s put another bill on The motion was agreed to. Hood, Attorney General of Mississippi; the floor and debate it. So far, we have The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Aaron D. Ford, Attorney General of Ne- done nothing—absolutely nothing in clerk will report the nomination. vada; Letitia James, Attorney General this Chamber to protect our country The bill clerk read the nomination of of New York State; Ellen Rosenblum, and its election security. Michael T. Liburdi, of Arizona, to be Attorney General of Oregon; Peter I yield the floor. Neronha, Attorney General of Rhode United States District Judge for the Island; Mark R. Herring, Attorney Gen- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- District of Arizona. eral of Virginia; Hector Balderas, At- ator from Connecticut. CLOTURE MOTION torney General of New Mexico; Josh UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—S. 1247 Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, Stein, Attorney General of North Caro- Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I I send a cloture motion to the desk. lina; Josh Shapiro, Attorney General of have a separate bill. It has not come to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clo- the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; us from the House, but it should have T.J. Donovan, Attorney General of ture motion having been presented Vermont; Bob Ferguson, Attorney Gen- bipartisan support. under rule XXII, the Chair directs the eral of Washington State. I ask unanimous consent that the clerk to read the motion. UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—H.R. 2722 Rules Committee be discharged from The senior assistant legislative clerk Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask further consideration of S. 1247; that read as follows: unanimous consent that the Rules the Senate proceed to its immediate CLOTURE MOTION Committee be discharged from further consideration; that the bill be read a We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- consideration of H.R. 2722, the SAFE third time and passed; and that the ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the Act; that the Senate proceed to its im- motion to reconsider be considered Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby mediate consideration; that the bill be made and laid upon the table with no move to bring to a close debate on the nomi- read a third time and passed; and that intervening action or debate. nation of Michael T. Liburdi, of Arizona, to be United States District Judge for the Dis- the motion to reconsider be considered The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? trict of Arizona. made and laid upon the table with no James Inhofe, John Hoeven, Mike intervening action of debate. Mr. MCCONNELL. I object. Rounds, Joni Ernst, Kevin Cramer, Ben The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Sasse, Pat Roberts, John Boozman, objection? FISCHER). Objection is heard. Mike Crapo, Steve Daines, John Cor- The majority leader. The majority leader. nyn, James E. Risch, Roger F. Wicker,

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