Rounds, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Cyber Subcommittee, Signs Onto Secure Elections Act

WASHINGTON- U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Cybersecurity Subcommittee, today signed onto the bipartisan Secure Elections Act. This legislation would strengthen America’s election cybersecurity and protect against the possibility of future foreign interference by streamlining cybersecurity information-sharing between federal intelligence entities and state election agencies and providing security clearances to state election officials.

“Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of our democracy,” said Rounds. “Countless Americans have died fighting for our ability to choose our leaders safely, freely and with high confidence in our system. Our adversaries are attacking our election system. While each state should continue to independently take responsibility for its own election process, we can help improve security by taking necessary steps to help safeguard our system and protect our democracy. Our legislation accomplishes this by streamlining information-sharing between intelligence agencies and providing states with additional tools to upgrade election security.”

The Secure Elections Act was introduced earlier this year by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.). In addition to Rounds, the bill is cosponsored by Sens. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Kamala Harris (D-Cali.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.).

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