After former special counsel Robert Mueller warned during congressional testimony of future election interference, Senate Republicans blocked 2 election security bills and a cybersecurity measure on Wednesday, The Hill reports.
Why it matters: Mueller testified earlier that "many more countries are developing capabilities to replicate" what the Russians did in 2016. "They are doing it as we sit here, and they expect to do it during the next campaign," he said. Per New York Magazine, there's concern that if the law's not updated, it could leave the U.S. open to further interference.
Details: Democrats sought consent to pass 2 bills that would require campaigns to alert the FBI and Federal Election Commission about foreign offers of assistance and another on legislation that would let the Senate sergeant-at-arms offer voluntary cyber assistance for personal devices and accounts of senators and staff, The Hill notes.
- Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) blocked all of the bills, without stating if she made the motion by herself or on behalf of her party, per New York Magazine.
What they're saying: The magazine reports that Senate Intelligence Committee vice-chairman Mark Warner (D-Va.) said as he condemned Sen. Hyde-Smith’s motion, "Mueller’s testimony should serve as a warning to every member of this body about what could happen in 2020, literally in our next elections."
The other side: According to CNN, the GOP says that Congress has already responded to election security needs for the upcoming election. Republicans have warned of attempts to "federalize" elections, The Hill notes.
Go deeper: Read Mueller's opening statement to Congress
