Last week, Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52) helped pass the Securing America’s Federal Elections (SAFE) Act to safeguard our elections from foreign interference. The bill requires voter-verified paper ballots for all votes, either hand-marked by the voter or by a ballot machine that cannot count votes; requires voting machines to be manufactured in the United States; and prohibits voting machines from requiring a WiFi signal to operate. It also provides $600 million for the Election Assistance Commission to improve election infrastructure during Fiscal Year 2019, followed by $175 million every other year starting in 2020 to maintain the higher standard of election infrastructure.

“We know Russia and other countries interfered in the 2016 election and ahead of 2020, we must take steps to protect our democracy. Upgrades to our election system will allow voters to securely exercise their right to vote and ensure Americans–not foreign adversaries–determine the outcome of our elections,” said Rep. Peters. “It’s time for Majority Leader McConnell to put our country first and actually work for the American people. That starts with passing this commonsense bill.”