Collins, Klobuchar Introduce Legislation to Strengthen our Elections by Providing Training for Election Officials
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced legislation to strengthen our elections by providing advanced training to state and local election officials. The jobs of election administrators have become more complex and demanding as state and local officials have had to make elections resilient during the pandemic while foreign adversaries have continued to target our elections. The Invest in Our Democracy Act would direct the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to provide grants in support of continuing education in election administration or cybersecurity for election officials and employees.
“Elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, and it is vital that we safeguard this institution in the midst of the current public health and economic crisis,” said Senator Collins. “In an effort to defend this cornerstone of our democracy, our bipartisan bill would help provide training and support to election officials who are dedicated to keeping our elections safe and secure.”
“Our intelligence officials have made clear that our election systems continue to be a target for foreign adversaries,” said Senator Klobuchar. “While federal and state officials have agreed that the 2020 election was ‘the most secure in American history,’ we must continue to do everything in our power to protect our democracy from the ongoing threat of foreign interference. That means making sure those who are on the front lines of administering elections have the training and resources they need to safeguard our election systems. The Invest in Our Democracy Act would ensure that election officials are prepared to improve cyber-defenses and election administration practices ahead of future elections.”
The Invest in Our Democracy Act of 2021 would:
? Establish a grant program administered by the Election Assistance Commission to cover up to 75 percent of the cost of the yearly tuition of election officials and employees who are enrolled in an accredited certificate program for election administration or cybersecurity.
? Define eligible persons to include state or local election officials, employees of a State or local election official, or an employee of the EAC.
? Provide $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2023 and such sums necessary for each fiscal years between 2024 and 2030.
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