From: The Honorable Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr.
Sent By:
meghan.wicker@mail.house.gov
Date: 3/21/2017
PROTECT & INVEST IN OUR ELECTION INFRASTRUCTURE
Cosponsor “The Election Infrastructure and Security Promotion Act of 2017”
Original Cosponsor Deadline: COB Monday, March 27th
114th Congress Cosponsors: Mike Honda, David Scott, Steve Cohen, John Conyers, Bobby Rush, Sanford Bishop, Ted Lieu, Jared Huffman, Danny Davis, Gregory
Meeks, Cedric L. Richmond, Marcia L. Fudge, Karen Bass, Yvette D. Clarke, G. K. Butterfield, Elijah E. Cummings, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Al Green, Charles B. Rangel, Barbara Lee, Robert C. Scott, Alcee L. Hastings, Maxine Waters, Sheila Jackson Lee, Bonnie
Watson Coleman, Louise Slaughter, Barbara Lee, Donald Norcross, Jerry McNerney, Donald M. Payne, Jr., David Cicilline, Judy Chu, Anna Eshoo, Frederica S. Wilson, Adam Smith.
Meeks, Cedric L. Richmond, Marcia L. Fudge, Karen Bass, Yvette D. Clarke, G. K. Butterfield, Elijah E. Cummings, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Al Green, Charles B. Rangel, Barbara Lee, Robert C. Scott, Alcee L. Hastings, Maxine Waters, Sheila Jackson Lee, Bonnie
Watson Coleman, Louise Slaughter, Barbara Lee, Donald Norcross, Jerry McNerney, Donald M. Payne, Jr., David Cicilline, Judy Chu, Anna Eshoo, Frederica S. Wilson, Adam Smith.
Endorsed by: Open Source Election Technology (OSET) Foundation, People Demanding Action, Progressive Democrats of America, Verified Voting
Dear Colleagues,
Please join me in reintroducing the
Election Infrastructure and Security Promotion Act of 2017. America’s election systems – compromised of voter registration systems, ballot casting & counting systems and election management systems – are insecure and at risk to attacks from dangerous
outside sources.
Election Infrastructure and Security Promotion Act of 2017. America’s election systems – compromised of voter registration systems, ballot casting & counting systems and election management systems – are insecure and at risk to attacks from dangerous
outside sources.
During the March 20, 2017, House Intelligence Committee open hearing, FBI Director James Comey and NSA Director Admiral Mike Rogers confirmed the investigation of Russian
interference in our elections as well as efforts to penetrate our voter registration databases, state board of elections, and election management systems.
interference in our elections as well as efforts to penetrate our voter registration databases, state board of elections, and election management systems.
Since October 2016, 48 states have requested assistance from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to test and protect various elements of their election administration
systems from hacking and cyberattacks, specifically of their voter registration systems and election management systems. In addition, approximately two-dozen state voter registration systems were attacked by unauthorized operatives. Earlier in March, the FBI
initiated investigations into an alleged data breach at the Center for Election Systems in Kennesaw State University, which facilitates elections for all counties in Georgia. Voter registration and electronic poll-books were allegedly accessed in the breach.
systems from hacking and cyberattacks, specifically of their voter registration systems and election management systems. In addition, approximately two-dozen state voter registration systems were attacked by unauthorized operatives. Earlier in March, the FBI
initiated investigations into an alleged data breach at the Center for Election Systems in Kennesaw State University, which facilitates elections for all counties in Georgia. Voter registration and electronic poll-books were allegedly accessed in the breach.
This bill designates our election infrastructure as critical infrastructure under the Critical Infrastructure Protection Act of 2001. It requires DHS to submit to Congress
a comprehensive plan on protecting our critical electoral process from a variety of threats. It calls on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop operational security standards to be used in federal elections and transparency standards
so that citizens may verify their votes. Finally, it authorizes the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish an election technology innovation program to support research to improve and secure our electoral process.
a comprehensive plan on protecting our critical electoral process from a variety of threats. It calls on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop operational security standards to be used in federal elections and transparency standards
so that citizens may verify their votes. Finally, it authorizes the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish an election technology innovation program to support research to improve and secure our electoral process.
Election infrastructure includes polling places, storage facilities, voting machines, voter registration systems, and other back-office systems used in the administration
of the election process. When DHS labels an asset as critical infrastructure, this designation provides for federal cybersecurity assistance to state and local elections that ask for assistance and opens communications between entities that handle election
information.
of the election process. When DHS labels an asset as critical infrastructure, this designation provides for federal cybersecurity assistance to state and local elections that ask for assistance and opens communications between entities that handle election
information.
We cannot risk state-sponsored sabotage or lone-wolf attacks on our electoral infrastructure. By investing in our critical election infrastructure and helping under-resourced
states to protect their electoral process and system, we can ensure no future attacks are successful.
states to protect their electoral process and system, we can ensure no future attacks are successful.
I hope you will join me once again as an original cosponsor of the Election Infrastructure and Security Promotion Act. If you have any questions or would like to cosponsor,
please contact Arya Hariharan at arya.hariharan@mail.house.gov or ext. 5-1562.
please contact Arya Hariharan at arya.hariharan@mail.house.gov or ext. 5-1562.
Sincerely,
Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr.
Member of Congress