Stopping Harmful Interference in Elections for A Lasting Democracy Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. SPANBERGER. Madam Chair, I rise in support of my amendment to H.R. 4617, the SHIELD Act.

Today the House is discussing and debating how we can safeguard the integrity of our elections, the bedrock of our democracy. How do we protect our electoral systems from foreign threats? And how do we prevent foreign influence over our electorate?

As we stand here today, the number of countries engaged in active campaigns to mislead the electorate, the American people continues to grow. According to a new report from the University of Oxford, the number of countries engaged in disinformation campaigns has more than doubled in the last 2 years. Additionally, at least seven countries have used their intelligence or military apparatuses to deploy disinformation on social media to influence a foreign country and its people.

As a former intelligence officer, I recognize the risks that these potential attacks, yes, attacks, pose as we head into the next year's Federal, State, and local elections. There is a legitimate fear across our intelligence community that foreign governments will build on Russia's extensive information warfare strategy. Foreign actors from Russia to China to North Korea to Iran are eager to undermine the foundations of our democracy.

Leading up to the 2016 Presidential election Facebook disclosed that it had found more than $100,000 worth of ads on divisive issues purchased by a Russian company linked to the Kremlin, and the potential return on investment is extremely high. As we approach 2020, they have every reason to follow this playbook again and to strengthen their disinformation operations.

In the context of these threats, we need to take a serious look at how we build resiliency against foreign interference on social media platforms. Digital advertising can be a far less expense and time intensive as a tool for propaganda, and it can spread disinformation, confusion, hate, and division at an alarming rate.

The SHIELD Act takes real steps to require large online platforms to keep records of qualified political advertisements, and I would like to thank my colleagues for their hard work on this critical issue.

The SHIELD Act would require online companies to keep publicly available records about online digital political advertisements. It would require information about the contents of a specific advertisement, its target audience, and the issue it addresses.

Additionally, it would require disclosure information about those purchasing the advertisement. Disclosure sheds light on corruption. It unmasks influence. And it stops our democracy from becoming vulnerable to foreign governments, nonstate actors, and shadowy influence groups constantly working to distract and mislead the American people. My amendment would strengthen this disclosure requirement.

My amendment would add that online platforms need to include a statement when the person purchasing a political advertisement is acting as the agent of a foreign principal.

Not only would it include language making it clear that they are acting on behalf of a foreign entity, but it would require the online platform to identify the foreign principal involved. That principal could be a foreign government, a foreign political party or a nonstate actor.

Fundamentally, my amendment to the SHIELD Act would put the power back in the hands of the American people. It would help address a critical underlying question, who is in charge of deciding American elections? Is it those abroad, working to divide and influence the American people? Or is it the American people themselves?

By requiring online records of purchase requests that include public information on the foreign principal behind these advertisements, the American people will be able to see clearly who is attempting to influence their decisions.

As Congress acts today to restore the trust of those we serve in our system of government, my amendment would strengthen our efforts to prevent the spread of foreign influence in our democratic system.

I urge my colleagues to support my amendment to H.R. 4617 to increase transparency in online advertisements, something that should not be controversial.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

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Ms. SPANBERGER. Madam Chair, the purpose of this amendment is, in fact, to ensure that the American people are aware when an agent of a foreign principal under FARA parameters purchases a political advertisement. We, as Members of Congress, have the ability to set the parameters under which the transparency and information is available to the American public. And in doing so, we need to make sure that not only do the American people know when there is a foreign individual purchasing advertisements meant to influence them, but when someone else is purchasing those advertisements on behalf of a foreign entity as described by FARA.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Chair, I appreciate the gentlewoman's willingness to want to help fix a bill where the underlying bill is one that we never had a chance to have an open debate about, never had a chance to have hearings about.

When it doesn't pass, I look forward to working with my colleagues. When it doesn't pass into law--it will pass here on a partisan roll call--when it doesn't pass into law, I look forward to working with my colleagues.

But I do have a bill that would address this situation. FARA, let's work together to let the DOJ have the resources and the ability to do their job. The SHIELD Act is not allowing that to happen. The Honest Elections Act, my bill, will allow that to happen. I would urge everybody to take a look at that.

SPANBERGER. Madam Chair, I also support increasing the enforcement of FARA.

But this, in particular, is about transparency and the transparency that it brings as it relates to the underlying aspect of the Honest Ads Act, which is a bipartisan bill, Republicans and Democrats in equal amounts. This is about transparency. This is about allowing the American people to know who, in fact, is purchasing the ads that are meant to influence them.

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

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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