Bipartisan lawmakers raise plan to pay for state election security

Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Two bipartisan members of Congress introduced legislation Friday that would offer funds to states to help them with election cybersecurity resources.

House Reps. Kathleen Rice, D-N.Y., and John Katko, R-N.Y., said their Cyber Navigators Act would give funds to states for election-related cybersecurity support, distributed through the Election Assistance Commission in grants.

"As we quickly approach November's general election, state and local governments must have the resources to ensure the integrity of their election systems," Katko said in a statement.

"This bipartisan bill authorizes a grant program to enable state and local governments to hire cybersecurity professionals capable of detecting and addressing vulnerabilities within election systems to strengthen our election security."

Congress has given states $400 million in aid, through the CARES Act, to pay for election needs but Rice and Katko say it's not enough.

Katko held a security roundtable in January with local election officials and the Department of Homeland Security. A statement from Katko's office said concerns raised then led to Friday's proposal.

Grants from the plan would allow state and local governments to hire cybersecurity professionals to provide risk management, resiliency and technical support for elections.