[T]he Senate Wednesday blocked an amendment by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., to provide states with an additional $250 million in funding for election security ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.
The 50-47 vote in favor fell well below the 60 votes needed to attach the measure to appropriations legislation.
The rejection of this amendment comes two weeks after a similar proposal failed to get enough votes in the House.
Efforts to provide additional funds to states comes after lawmakers approved $380 million for election security grants to states earlier this year.
The money was intended to help states improve their cybersecurity protections and to invest in new election infrastructure, such as voting machines, in the wake of the 2016 election.
Since then, all eligible states and territories have requested funding and 91 percent of the funds have been distributed to the states.
Republicans argue additional funds would be redundant at this time and that states haven’t spent all the $380 million previously approved by Congress.
The only Republican to vote for Leahy’s amendment was Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn.
After the vote, Leahy took to the Senate floor to say that Congress is refusing to heed intelligence agencies’ warnings that the “light’s blinking red” on the democratic process in the United States.
“It is unfortunate that the Senate voted down funding our states need to help upgrade their election infrastructure and secure our elections from interference by Russia and other foreign adversaries ahead of the 2018 midterms,” Leahy said.
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos was a fervent supporter of the amendment and recently testified before a Senate panel that states would benefit from an ongoing stream of federal funding dedicated to election security.
In a statement, Condos said he was disappointed the amendment had failed, and urged Congress to prioritize election security.
“Protecting our elections from those who wish to sow chaos and discord in our democratic process is critical. I can think of few investments as important,” Condos said.
