RandomGuy
06-03-2019, 05:31 PM
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic push Wednesday that would have provided $250 million to beef up election security.
The money would have been doled out in grants through the Federal Election Assistance Commission and helped, among other things, replace outdated voting equipment and increase cybersecurity efforts.
But the amendment failed Wednesday on a 50-49 vote, 10 votes shy of the 60 needed for it to pass. The votes fell almost entirely on party lines as only one Republican — Sen. Bob Corker (Tenn.) — voted for the grant.
"The integrity of our elections, which are the foundation of our democracy, should not be a partisan issue," Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who proposed the amendment, said in a statement. "It is unfortunate that the Senate has followed the same path as House Republicans in blocking the funding our states need to help upgrade their infrastructure and secure our elections."
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/08/01/republicans-block-money-election-security/884438002/
The money would have been doled out in grants through the Federal Election Assistance Commission and helped, among other things, replace outdated voting equipment and increase cybersecurity efforts.
But the amendment failed Wednesday on a 50-49 vote, 10 votes shy of the 60 needed for it to pass. The votes fell almost entirely on party lines as only one Republican — Sen. Bob Corker (Tenn.) — voted for the grant.
"The integrity of our elections, which are the foundation of our democracy, should not be a partisan issue," Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who proposed the amendment, said in a statement. "It is unfortunate that the Senate has followed the same path as House Republicans in blocking the funding our states need to help upgrade their infrastructure and secure our elections."
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/08/01/republicans-block-money-election-security/884438002/