June 13, 2019

Rep. Lou Correa Calls For Task Force On Elections In Letter To Speaker Pelosi

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA-46) sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi requesting the creation of a Task Force on Election to bring bipartisan leaders together to address securing our elections from foreign interference, including cyber warfare and espionage. This task force will bring together leaders from House Committee on Administration, House Homeland Security Committee, House Select Committee on Intelligence, House Judiciary Committee, and other relevant committees to address securing our elections from foreign attack.

Rep. Lou Correa said, “As we approach the 2020 Presidential election cycle, it is essential that Americans put aside politics and unite against foreign threats to our national security. Only by creating a bipartisan task force of members from multiple committees can address this existential threat to our democracy.

“I applaud Speaker Pelosi, House Administration Committee Chairperson Lofgren and House Administration Subcommittee on Elections Chairwoman Fudge for their leadership in ensuring every American’s vote counts. Their work is critical to protecting every American political voice. Unfortunately, Mr. Mueller report detailed that this threat is greater than any single committee can address.

“In his report, Mueller wrote hundreds of pages detailing Russia’s extensive interference in the 2016 Presidential Election. Using cyber warfare, espionage, data theft, media manipulation, and disinformation, the Russian government directly attempted to harm a candidate and advance another.

“To truly check Russia and other foreign adversaries, we must bring leaders from all of our committees together to tackle this growing threat. Only together can we prevent foreign adversaries from meddling in our future election, and threatening our democracy.”

Read the letter here

BACKGROUND: In Volume I of the “Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election” Special Counsel Mueller makes it explicitly clear that Russia, a foreign adversary, launched an unprecedented attack on our political system and made a significant effort to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. Additionally, the Mueller report revealed that Russian military intelligence officers gained access to computer networks used by several state election systems.

Protecting our elections from foreign influence requires a comprehensive approach from federal, state, and local governments, and private sector partner. As we approach the 2020 election, Americans depend on the House and the Senate to come together and take steps to ensure our democracy’s security. The creation of this Task Force will allow elected leaders greater authority and agility in addressing grave threats to election security and our national security.

Rep. Lou Correa represents California’s 46th Congressional District. He serves as Chair of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security, and as the Vice Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet. Read more here.