Congress poised to approve major election security funding boost

Democrats have criticized Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky for refusing to take up a House-passed measure that would provide money to states but would also impose federal requirements and add provisions McConnell and Republicans have deemed highly partisan.

McConnell, who calls the House bill “Democrat Politician Protection Act,” has also criticized provisions in the House election security measure that he said would federalize elections and thus make them more vulnerable to hacking.

The House spending measure includes $600 million for states to shore up election security but it comes with a requirement that they back up machines with paper ballots.

Lawmakers in both chambers have introduced a variety of election security bills.

Democrats have criticized McConnell for refusing to allow a vote on any of them even though the intelligence community determined Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election.

McConnell is a co-sponsor of the Senate spending bill that includes the $250 million.

He pointed out on Thursday that efforts by the Trump Administration to shore up election security left the 2018 midterm elections unscathed by foreign interference.

States have already received nearly $400 million for election security since 2018.

“The Trump administration has made enormous strides to help states secure their elections without giving Washington new power to push the states around,” McConnell said. “That’s how we continue the progress we saw in 2018 and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

[Opinion: Senate Republicans must lead with cheap, effective measures to secure US elections]