Fully Fund Agencies Protecting Elections From Cyber Threats

Our nation's election system is under grave threat from foreign and domestic cyber adversaries seeking to undermine our democratic process. The Trump administration's proposed drastic cuts to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) budget are unconscionable and would severely compromise our ability to defend against these attacks.   CISA plays a vital role in protecting our elections, working closely with state and local officials to prevent and address cyber threats, including voting disinformation campaigns from hostile actors. Slashing nearly $500 million, almost a third of CISA's budget, would cripple its capacity to safeguard the integrity of our elections. The administration's justification for these cuts, alleging CISA was used to "violate the First Amendment" and engage in "censorship," is baseless and dangerous.   CISA's efforts to counter misinformation and foreign interference are crucial to ensuring the American people can make informed decisions without being misled by malicious falsehoods. The consequences of failing to properly fund election security are severe. Just last year, we witnessed attempts by Russia, China, and Iran to hack voter databases and spread disinformation. Without robust cybersecurity measures in place, our elections are vulnerable to manipulation that could cast doubt on the legitimacy of the results and erode public trust in our democracy.   We cannot allow partisan politics to undermine the bedrock principle of free and fair elections. I implore you to reject the administration's draconian budget proposal and instead increase funding for CISA and other agencies tasked with protecting our elections. The fate of our republic depends on the integrity of the vote. We must do everything in our power to safeguard this sacred right from those who seek to corrode it from within and without.