Category Archives: senate rules committee

Lawmakers, tech vendors fight over election cybersecurity efforts

Posted on by

Amid ongoing reports of foreign digital meddling in domestic elections, U.S. lawmakers are butting heads with the nation’s largest voting technology companies. Lawmakers ratcheted up the pressure Wednesday, criticizing the companies’ perceived disconnect from federal agencies and shining a spotlight on a diverse and historically unregulated industry. In emails to CyberScoop, the companies pushed back against those statements, highlighting their new and apparently ongoing partnerships with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In December, DHS and the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) launched a non-binding, public-private working group with some of the top vendors involved, called the Sector Coordinating Council. The group is tasked with helping government and industry quietly collaborate on election security efforts. A spokesperson for Nebraska-based Elections Systems and Software (ES&S) said nothing is more important to the company  “than ensuring elections are secure and accurate, and any conjectures to the contrary are simply false.” “We welcome conversations about our practices,” the spokesperson […]

The post Lawmakers, tech vendors fight over election cybersecurity efforts appeared first on Cyberscoop.

Continue reading Lawmakers, tech vendors fight over election cybersecurity efforts→

State officials ask lawmakers for more election security funding

Posted on by

All three state elections officials on a panel before the Senate Rules Committee Wednesday told lawmakers that they would gladly accept more financial assistance from the federal government for election security. The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) continues to dole out grants for states as part of a $380 million fund Congress appropriated in March under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). But the officials who run the country’s elections have some differences about the role federal lawmakers and agencies should play, with some worrying about overreach into a process run by the states. There was no disagreement at the hearing, however, that additional money would be welcomed. “While our upgrades to equipment and cybersecurity will be an ongoing challenge for many states, the federal funding received will regrettably be insufficient to do all that we want or need,” said Jim Condos, Vermont’s secretary of state. “However, we are very grateful for […]

The post State officials ask lawmakers for more election security funding appeared first on Cyberscoop.

Continue reading State officials ask lawmakers for more election security funding→