February 25, 2023 - WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration with oversight over federal elections, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Gary Peters (D-MI) led a letter with 22 of their colleagues in calling on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prioritize funding for election security through DHS’ existing grant programs.  

“We write to request that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) prioritize funding for election security and support for election officials through existing grant programs. As we work to keep our elections secure and strengthen our democracy’s resilience, these resources will help state and local governments ensure that our elections proceed smoothly in the face of evolving challenges including the rise in threats to election workers and the need to maintain our country’s election infrastructure, which is a matter of national security” the senators wrote to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly.

“DHS has done critical work to keep our elections safe and secure, including in the 2022 elections, but funding for election security must remain a priority. By requiring funds to be spent on election security and for election officials to have meaningful input, you will ensure that critical funds will be used to strengthen security in our democracy,” the senators continued.

In addition to Klobuchar and Peters, the letter was signed by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL); Michael Bennet (D-CO); Angus King (I-ME); Peter Welch (D-VT); Elizabeth Warren (D-MA); Chris Coons (D-DE); Dianne Feinstein (D-CA); Raphael Warnock (D-GA); Tim Kaine (D-VA); Mark Warner (D-VA); Tina Smith (D-MN); Ed Markey (D-MA); Mazie Hirono (D-HI); Ron Wyden (D-OR); Sherrod Brown (D-OH); Richard Blumenthal (D-CT); Alex Padilla (D-CA); Ben Ray Luján (D-NM); Cory Booker (D-NJ); Bob Casey (D-PA); Jeff Merkley (D-OR); and Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

As Chairwoman of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee with oversight over federal elections, Klobuchar has long led efforts to improve election security and administration.

Last May, Klobuchar, Peters, and twelve of their colleagues urged DHS to help states effectively use funding from the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program and the Homeland Security Grant Program to improve election security. 

In 2021, she introduced the Freedom to Vote Act, which would set basic national standards to make sure all Americans can cast their ballots in the way that works best for them, regardless of what zip code they live in, including by improving voting access, expanding early-in person voting and voting by mail, and modernizing election systems. All Senate Democrats cosponsored this legislation and voted to advance the bill in January 2022. 

In September 2022, Klobuchar and Durbin introduced comprehensive legislation to address the rise in threats targeting election workers. The Election Worker Protection Act would provide states with the resources to recruit and train election workers and ensure these workers’ safety, while also instituting federal safeguards to shield election workers from intimidation and threats.

In June 2022, Klobuchar, Durbin, and 20 of their colleagues urged DHS and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to notify state and local law enforcement of rising threats against election workers. 

In June 2022, Klobuchar and former Senate Rules Committee Ranking Member Roy Blunt (R-MO) led successful efforts to call on the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to expand the use of federal Help America Vote Act funding to protect election workers and officials against threats. Klobuchar and Blunt had also requested an update from the EAC in April 2022 on its efforts to support state and local election officials with administering the 2022 midterm elections. 

In February 2022, Klobuchar successfullyurged the Biden administration to prioritize election security funding to improve the administration of federal elections in its Fiscal Year 2023 budget proposal. The same month, she and Durbin also called on the Justice Department to take additional action to protect election workers from threats to their safety.

Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:

Dear Secretary Mayorkas, Administrator Criswell, and Director Easterly: 

We write to request that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) prioritize funding for election security and support for election officials through existing grant programs. As we work to keep our elections secure and strengthen our democracy’s resilience, these resources will help state and local governments ensure that our elections proceed smoothly in the face of evolving challenges including the rise in threats to election workers and the need to maintain our country’s election infrastructure, which is a matter of national security. 

In particular we urge DHS to issue guidance that makes clear that election security is a national priority for the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) and the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. Specifically, we urge you to designate election security as its own unique national priority and not combine it with other priority areas. 

Importantly there is recent precedent for this type of guidance. In Fiscal Year 2020, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) cited election security in two of its four national priorities for HSGP – “enhancing cybersecurity” and “enhancing the protection of soft targets/crowded places.” That year FEMA also required HSGP grant recipients to spend a fixed percentage of their funds on each priority. We were pleased to see that FEMA included “enhancing election security” in its 2022 national priorities, and we urge you to do this again in 2023.

Just as FEMA has done with the HSGP grants, we request that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issue guidance to guarantee that a portion of funds from the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program is spent on election security. This four-year program was created in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to ensure that state and local governments have resources to improve and maintain their cybersecurity, and it has the potential to play a critical role as states are preparing for the 2024 election cycle.

Election officials work year-round to prepare to administer our free and fair elections, and they bring important expertise to their jobs. We encourage you to include guidance that grant recipients should consult with election officials, which will help ensure that those on the frontlines of our democracy are informed about how these funds can be used and have the opportunity to advocate for their election-related needs. 

DHS has done critical work to keep our elections safe and secure, including in the 2022 elections, but funding for election security must remain a priority. By requiring funds to be spent on election security and for election officials to have meaningful input, you will ensure that critical funds will be used to strengthen security in our democracy. 

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Source: Senator Amy Klobuchar