Senate GOP blocks two election security bills

Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked legislation that would provide funding for states to shore up election security and create more transparency around online advertisements.

Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) blocked passage of the Honest Ads Act, sponsored by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), saying work was needed to make the measure more bipartisan.

Klobuchar’s bill, whose lone GOP cosponsor is Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.), would require online platforms to make “all reasonable efforts” to ensure foreign entities are not buying political ads. It also would require public disclosure of who paid for the ad.

“There are many other bills that I’ll come back and discuss in the next few weeks which would help on foreign influence in our elections, but today I want to focus on this one because election security is national security, and it’s well past time we take action,” Klobuchar said on the Senate floor.

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) later came to the floor and attempted to pass the Election Security Act, a measure with 40 Democratic cosponsors that would give states $1 billion for election security efforts and require back-up paper ballots.

Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) blocked its passage, arguing the bill had “more red flags than the Chinese Embassy.” He added that the level of funding was excessive when considering the $380 million appropriated to states last year for election security.