Stopping Harmful Interference in Elections for A Lasting Democracy Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. SLOTKIN. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and thank her for all the work she has done on the SHIELD Act.

As a former CIA officer and Pentagon official, as the wife of a 30- year Army officer and the stepmom of a current Army officer, I know that when our country sees a threat, we have the responsibility to act and to consider ways to protect our country.

I think we have all said it many times here today, no matter who you are, what political party you are from, we can all agree that foreigners have no role in our political process.

I am incredibly proud to be supporting the SHIELD Act. Certain portions of it are modeled off legislation I have been working on since I first started in Congress in January, the PAID AD Act, in particular. It is the very basic idea that foreigners should not be able to buy an ad for or against a candidate in an American political election. That should be illegal, plain and simple.

Michigan was particularly targeted by these ads. They are divisive. They are hateful. They are meant to split us apart and stoke fears in our community. It is a classic in the playbook the Russians have used in Eastern Europe, and now they are using it here in the United States.

The SHIELD Act closes these loopholes that currently allow foreign entities to purchase campaign ads. I am thrilled to support it.

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Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of this amendment to the SHIELD Act, the digital citizenship and media literacy amendment.

We have said it before. No matter who we are, Democrats, Republicans, or Independents, we should all agree that we don't want foreigners manipulating our citizens, sowing discord in our society, and playing in our political process.

We know that foreign entities continue to target social media ads and disinformation at voters, particularly in swing States like mine, Michigan. These ads are horrible. They seek to divide us and influence our political process.

The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence released a bipartisan report late last month and said that the public needs to be informed and both understand and identify disinformation that is critical to preventing foreign influence. This means our citizens, and especially our kids, need to have the tools to spot this disinformation.

In this new age of digital warfare, we need education. Education is critical. This study helps us get at this so that we can all understand how to identify propaganda and flag it.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Chair, I appreciate the comments from my good friend from Michigan. I, too, am in a swing district. We don't want misinformation.

To address comments made by my good friend from Rhode Island, I understand that what the gentleman is asking for is an independent report. I don't believe the FEC can offer an independent assessment of anything right now.

Madam Chair, you have an FEC that is completely dysfunctional. You have a Chair of the FEC who is doing nothing but taking partisan shots at our President. That is not what the FEC should be.

The FEC is incapable of offering any independent review of anything. That is my concern. That is why I believe if we could work together and come up with a more viable solution to get a true independent study, I think we could do that.

Madam Chair, I am ready to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of an amendment to the SHIELD Act, which takes a step toward solving a tough, complicated, outstanding challenge in preventing foreign influence in our elections, and that is closing loopholes that currently allow lobbyists of foreign governments to contribute to U.S. campaigns.

Again, no matter who we are or what party we are from, we can all agree that we don't want foreigners playing in our political process.

I am very proud that the SHIELD Act includes legislation--we have discussed it earlier--that closes loopholes so that foreigners cannot buy ads for or against a candidate in an American election. That idea was very simple. Particularly on social media, this is important.

So why, then, if we are not letting foreign entities buy ads in our political process is it okay that lobbyists for foreign governments are able to contribute to candidates, campaigns, and otherwise influence U.S. elections?

There is some work to be done on this. It is, admittedly, complicated. But in order to properly close these loopholes, we need to first understand what those loopholes are and how they impact foreign entities' ability to influence our elections.

My amendment directs the Government Accountability Office to assess existing law to identify loopholes in FARA, the Foreign Agents Registration Act, and then recommend the right legislative fixes.

The SHIELD Act does a great deal to meet the threat of foreign influence and interference with robust legislative responses. This amendment will help us continue that work and get us closer to a solution to an outstanding vulnerability in our system.

Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition, although I am supportive of this amendment.

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Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Chair, I am just shocked because I have them running, jumping up and down over there.

I continue to think that the gentleman from Illinois doesn't understand that when he calls our bills wonky and our amendments wonky, we are deeply proud of that over here. I am thrilled that he is supportive.

There actually is a bipartisan agreement on the need to reform FARA, as reflected, I think, by Senator Grassley's bipartisan bill, very similar language.

I am thrilled. I thank the gentleman for his support and for jumping up and down, giving us a little energy.

Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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