AP18:126
For Immediate Release
August 2, 2018
Contact:
SOS Press Office
(916) 653-6575
Secretary of State Alex Padilla Statement on US Senate’s Failure to Fund Voting System Upgrades
SACRAMENTO - California Secretary of State Alex Padilla made the following statement after Republicans in the US Senate voted down $250 million in funding to help states upgrade voting systems.
"Intelligence officials have been crystal clear—our democracy is, and will continue to be, under attack by Russia and others. Trump has chosen to ignore these warnings, so it is up to Congress to act. California Senators Feinstein and Harris understand the importance of this issue, but I'm incredibly disappointed that Senate Republicans voted against $250 million for states to further upgrade and protect voting systems. Improving election security should not be a partisan issue. Yesterday, Congress finalized a $717 billion defense spending bill—yet they could not come together to fund voting systems at a fraction of the cost. Bolstering our election infrastructure is a matter of national security. Free and fair elections are at the very foundation of our democracy. Every day Trump and Congress fail to act only makes the jobs of elections officials across the country harder."
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