III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 594 

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the Government of the Russian 

Federation’s ongoing attacks against the United States election system 

to undermine our democracy by interfering with our election system, 

and affirming the Senate’s unequivocal commitment to holding the Russian Federation, President Putin, and those who carried out the attacks 

accountable. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 26, 2018 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself and Mr. GRAHAM) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the Government of the Russian Federation’s ongoing attacks 

against the United States election system to undermine 

our democracy by interfering with our election system, 

and affirming the Senate’s unequivocal commitment to 

holding the Russian Federation, President Putin, and 

those who carried out the attacks accountable. 

Whereas, on January 6, 2017, the Office of the Director of 

National Intelligence published a report titled ‘‘Assessing 

Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent U.S. Elections’’, noting that ‘‘Russian President Vladimir Putin 

ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the U.S. 

Presidential election,’’ with a goal of undermining public 


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•SRES 594 IS 

faith in United States democratic processes, and that the 

Government of the Russian Federation’s influence campaign followed a Russian messaging strategy that blends 

covert intelligence operations—such as cyber activity— 

with overt efforts by Russian Government agencies, statefunded media, third-party intermediaries, and paid social 

media users or ‘‘trolls’’; 

Whereas the findings of the investigation by the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate regarding election interference confirmed the intelligence community’s assessment that— 

(1) Russia attempted to influence the 2016 election 

and its actions were a significant escalation in directness, 

level of activity, and scope; 

(2) Russia conducted cyber operations on United 

States political targets likely to shape future United 

States policies; 

(3) Russian-state actors and third-party intermediaries were responsible for the dissemination of documents and communications stolen from United States political organizations; 

(4) the Government of the Russian Federation used 

coordinated state platforms RT and Sputnik to advance 

its malign influence campaign during the 2016 United 

States Presidential election; and 

(5) Russian intelligence leveraged social media in an 

attempt to amplify Kremlin messaging intended to sow 

social discord and to undermine the United States electoral process; 

Whereas, on July 13, 2018, the Department of Justice indicted 12 members of the Russian military intelligence 

agency, Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff 


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•SRES 594 IS 

(GRU), for conspiracy to commit offenses against the 

United States during the 2016 election, noting in the indictment that the Russian officials conspired to hack 

‘‘into the computers of U.S. persons and entities involved 

in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, steal documents 

from those computers, and stage releases of the stolen 

documents to interfere with the 2016 U.S. presidential 

election’’; 

Whereas the Senate passed the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, (H.R. 3364, 115th Congress), by a vote of 98–2, in order to impose strong sanctions against the Government of the Russian Federation 

for its well-documented efforts to undermine democratic 

institutions and elections in the United States and Europe; 

Whereas, on May 8, 2017, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper testified before the Committee on 

the Judiciary of the Senate that ‘‘Russia is now 

emboldened to continue such activities in the future both 

here and around the world, and to do so even more intensely’’; 

Whereas, on Friday, July 13, 2018, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats reaffirmed that Russia is continuing 

its efforts to disrupt United States elections, noting, 

‘‘Today, the digital infrastructure that serves this country is literally under attack. . . . It was in the months 

prior to September 2001 when, according to then-CIA 

Director George Tenet, the system is blinking red. And 

here we are nearly two decades later, and I’m here to 

say, the warning lights are blinking red again,’’ and that 

Russia is the ‘‘most aggressive foreign actor—no quesVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:21 Jul 27, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR594.IS SR594

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tion. And they continue their efforts to undermine our 

democracy.’’; 

Whereas, on July 16, 2018 Director of National Intelligence 

Coats reaffirmed United States intelligence conclusions, 

noting, ‘‘We have been clear in our assessments of Russian meddling in the 2016 election and their ongoing, 

pervasive efforts to undermine our democracy.’’; 

Whereas the men and women in the United States Foreign 

Service, Armed Forces, intelligence agencies, civil service, 

and law enforcement dedicate their careers to advancing 

the interests of our country and home and abroad, including in some difficult and demanding locations such as 

Russia; 

Whereas these men and women serve honorably despite at 

times having to endure unwarranted harassing and hostile actions in performance of their duties; and 

Whereas bipartisan support in Congress is important, but 

there is no substitute for Presidential leadership and action, and without it, the costs imposed will not be sufficient to deter Russia in the future: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) unequivocally agrees with the conclusions 

3 reached by the dedicated, non-partisan men and 

4 women at United States intelligence agencies that 

5 Vladimir Putin ordered an attack against the 2016 

6 Presidential election to influence and undermine 

7 faith in our democratic process and that United 

8 States elections remain a target for Russia; 


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1 (2) views attacks against United States election 

2 infrastructure as representing a threat to the foun3 dation of our democracy, and declares that pro4 tecting our elections is a national security priority; 

5 (3) views attempts by the Government of the 

6 Russian Federation or persons or entities associated 

7 with the Government of the Russian Federation to 

8 hack and otherwise tamper with United States elec9 tion voting systems, voter roll information, political 

10 party organizations, and State and local election ad11 ministration officials as an attack on United States 

12 critical infrastructure; 

13 (4) reaffirms that it is the policy of the United 

14 States to defend against and respond to cyber-at15 tacks against our election infrastructure, and de16 clares that an attack on our election systems by a 

17 foreign power is a hostile act and should be met with 

18 appropriate retaliatory actions, including full imple19 mentation of existing sanctions as well as new addi20 tional sanctions; 

21 (5) reaffirms that States are responsible for 

22 conducting elections, and Congress is committed to 

23 providing resources, information, and cybersecurity 

24 expertise to help improve the security of United 

25 States elections; 


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1 (6) strongly supports State and local election 

2 officials who administer United States elections and 

3 the continued information sharing between those of4 ficials and the Federal Government in order to pro5 tect the administration of elections; 

6 (7) reaffirms that the free, open, and fair ad7 ministration of elections is a cornerstone of Amer8 ican democracy and that any attempts to interfere 

9 with election administration is a threat to national 

10 security; 

11 (8) strongly urges President Trump to take all 

12 necessary steps to ensure the 12 Russian govern13 ment officials and any other Russian nationals in14 dicted by the Department of Justice for interfering 

15 in the 2016 elections are extradited to the United 

16 States; and 

17 (9) strongly urges President Trump to publicly 

18 and unambiguously state that the United States 

19 Government will refuse all efforts by the Govern20 ment of the Russian Federation to question any cur21 rent or former United States personnel. 

Æ 


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