Senators to get election security briefing

The Senate will get an election security briefing on Wednesday, as Democrats clamor for Congress to pass new legislation ahead of the 2020 election.

Senators will have a closed-door meeting with Trump administration officials, including briefers from the Department of Homeland Security, FBI and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, according to a senior Senate aide.

The House is also expected to be briefed on Wednesday, with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announcing late last month that the lower chamber would also have an “all members” briefing.

The back-to-back briefings come as Democrats have been pushing for months for Congress to pass new legislation ahead of the 2020 elections. They also follow former special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.

House Democrats passed a massive election and ethics reform bill earlier this year and have followed it up with smaller bills as they’ve tried to put pressure on the GOP-controlled Senate to take action.

Senate Democrats are hoping the election security briefing will move Republicans toward backing additional legislation and funding. In addition to requesting a briefing, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) backed putting election security in a mammoth defense bill, has called for stand-alone legislation and wants to put additional money for election security assistance in the upcoming appropriations bills.