• Home
  • Opinion
  • Quizzes
  • Redistricting
  • Sections
  • About Us
  • Voting
  • Independent Voter News
  • Campaign Finance
  • Civic Ed
  • Directory
  • Election Dissection
  • Events
  • Fact Check
  • Glossary
  • News
  • Analysis
  • Subscriptions
  • Log in
Leveraging Our Differences
  • news & opinion
    • Big Picture
      • Civic Ed
      • Ethics
      • Leadership
      • Leveraging big ideas
      • Media
    • Business & Democracy
      • Corporate Responsibility
      • Impact Investment
      • Innovation & Incubation
      • Small Businesses
      • Stakeholder Capitalism
    • Elections
      • Campaign Finance
      • Independent Voter News
      • Redistricting
      • Voting
    • Government
      • Balance of Power
      • Budgeting
      • Congress
      • Judicial
      • Local
      • State
      • White House
    • Justice
      • Accountability
      • Anti-corruption
      • Budget equity
    • Columns
      • Beyond Right and Left
      • Civic Soul
      • Congress at a Crossroads
      • Cross-Partisan Visions
      • Democracy Pie
      • Our Freedom
  • Pop Culture
      • American Heroes
      • Ask Joe
      • Celebrity News
      • Comedy
      • Dance, Theatre & Film
      • Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
      • Faithful & Mindful Living
      • Music, Poetry & Arts
      • Sports
      • Technology
      • Your Take
      • American Heroes
      • Ask Joe
      • Celebrity News
      • Comedy
      • Dance, Theatre & Film
      • Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
      • Faithful & Mindful Living
      • Music, Poetry & Arts
      • Sports
      • Technology
      • Your Take
  • events
  • About
      • Mission
      • Advisory Board
      • Staff
      • Contact Us
Sign Up
  1. Home>
  2. Voting>
  3. election security>

Modest measures to thwart foreign election hacking in annual defense bill

Bill Theobald
December 18, 2019
Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen

Provisions of a bill to thwart foreign election interference, dubbed the DETER Act and written by Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Martyland, caught a ride on the annual defense authorization bill.

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Election security advocates can claim their second victory in Congress this week with the passage of legislation intended to prevent foreign interference in the American democratic system.

The second measure was sent to the White House for President Trump's sure signature just as a bipartisan government-wide spending agreement, including $425 million for election security grants to the states, was sealed and started its own speedy trip through Congress.

The election language was included in the annual bill that outlines defense policy for the country. It is a portion of legislation that when introduced was cleverly named the DETER Act (for Defending Elections from Threats by Establishing Redlines) by its author, Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland.


The defense bill, which the Senate cleared Wednesday following House approval last week, would require the director of national intelligence to designate a national counterintelligence officer within the National Counterintelligence and Security Center to "lead, manage and coordinate counterintelligence matters relating to election security."

The legislation also mandates several reports to Congress, including one about the 2016 cyberattacks by Russian agents. Another would look at how well the intelligence community shared information on the hacking of election systems.

A third provision requires key national security officials in the White House to work with congressional leaders to create a "whole of government" strategy for dealing with Russian cyberattacks in coming elections. This is to include suggestions on how to better identify Russian agents.

Sign up for The Fulcrum newsletter

Other requirements would:

  • Provide security clearances to state election officials so intelligence agencies can better communicate with them about cybersecurity threats involving elections. During and after the 2016 election some state officials complained that they were left in the dark about hacking attempts discovered by federal agents.
  • Establish a ranking system to identify the likelihood that a hacking was the work of a foreign power. The two standards will be moderate or high confidence.
From Your Site Articles
  • Mueller stresses gravity of Russian meddling, but election security ... ›
  • Foreign interference in our elections is an American crisis ›
  • After two election security films, a belief in paper ballots - The Fulcrum ›
  • Russia, China find loopholes in U.S. law to slip in money - The Fulcrum ›
  • FBI director says Russia has switched tactics on election - The Fulcrum ›
  • Fact-checking claims of fake ballots from foreign actors - The Fulcrum ›
Related Articles Around the Web
  • Russia Isn't the Only One Meddling in Elections. We Do It, Too. - The ... ›
  • The Founding Fathers knew first-hand that foreign interference in ... ›
  • Foreign Election Interference In The 2020 Race: What You Need To ... ›
election security

Want to write
for The Fulcrum?

If you have something to say about ways to protect or repair our American democracy, we want to hear from you.

Submit
Get some Leverage Sign up for The Fulcrum Newsletter
Confirm that you are not a bot.
×
Follow

Support Democracy Journalism; Join The Fulcrum

The Fulcrum daily platform is where insiders and outsiders to politics are informed, meet, talk, and act to repair our democracy and make it live and work in our everyday lives. Now more than ever our democracy needs a trustworthy outlet

Contribute
Contributors

Two debates about Henry Kissinger's legacy

Dave Anderson

The urgent 21st century upgrades Congress needs to do its job

Kevin R. Kosar

Our shared humanity and collective responsibility

Jenn Hoos Rothberg

The conservative mind at 70

Michael Lucchese

Fulcrum Rewind: How to get along at Thanksgiving

Debilyn Molineaux
David L. Nevins

How reforming felony murder laws can reduce juvenile justice harms

Margaret Mikulski
latest News

The danger of technology discrimination

Nakeema Stefflbauer
18h

Winning proportional representation: Lessons from New Zealand

Cynthia Richie Terrell
Rob Richie
18h

Johnny’s American future

Debilyn Molineaux
04 December

Are state governments ready for today’s unique challenges?

Kevin Frazier
01 December

2024 caucus-primary and general elections controlled by extremists

Steve Corbin
01 December

A crisis creates clarity for donors

Jack Miller
01 December
Videos
Who is the new House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson?

Who is the new House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson?

Our Staff
Video: Jordan bully tactics backfire, provoke threats and harassment of fellow Republicans

Video: Jordan bully tactics backfire, provoke threats and harassment of fellow Republicans

Our Staff
Video Rewind: Reflection on Indigenous Peoples' Day with Rev. F. Willis Johnson

Video Rewind: Reflection on Indigenous Peoples' Day with Rev. F. Willis Johnson

Our Staff
Video: The power of young voices

Video: The power of young voices

Our Staff
Video: Expert baffled by Trump contradicting legal team

Video: Expert baffled by Trump contradicting legal team

Our Staff
Video: Do white leaders hinder black aspirations?

Video: Do white leaders hinder black aspirations?

Our Staff
Podcasts

Podcast: Dr. F Willis Johnson in rich conversation with Steve Lawler

Lennon Wesley III
29 November

Podcast: Dr. F. Willis Johnson in a rich conversation with Patrick McNeal

Our Staff
14 November

Podcast: Better choices, better elections

Our Staff
23 October

Podcast: Are state legislators really accountable to their voters?

Our Staff
06 October
Recommended
technology discrimination

The danger of technology discrimination

Innovation & Incubation
New Zealand voting box

Winning proportional representation: Lessons from New Zealand

Voting
Henry Kissinger

Two debates about Henry Kissinger's legacy

Leveraging big ideas
Johnny Addams

Johnny’s American future

Big Picture
Sen. Rick Scott

The urgent 21st century upgrades Congress needs to do its job

Congress
Are state governments ready for today’s unique challenges?

Are state governments ready for today’s unique challenges?

State