The following article by Erica Werner was posted on the Washington Post website July 19, 2018:
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) decried the GOP-backed vote on a spending bill that excludes new money for election security grants to states. (U.S. House)
House Republicans on Thursday voted down a Democratic effort to increase election security spending, as Democrats accused the GOP of refusing to stand up to Russia over interference in U.S. elections.
In a vote along party lines, Republicans rejected Democrats’ motion for more funding, unmoved by Democrats’ vigorous pleas and chants of “USA! USA!” on the House floor.
The election security funding vote came amid a national controversy over Russian election interference, and it comes days after President Trump appeared to accept Russian President Vladimir Putin’s contention that Russia did not intervene in the 2016 presidential race — even though U.S. intelligence agencies say otherwise.