McCaul Statement on Russian Government Attempts to Influence U.S. Election

Washington, D.C. - House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) today issued the following statement in response to the announcement by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Homeland Security regarding Russian government hacking against U.S. persons and institutions:

Chairman McCaul: “This is a direct provocation against our people and our democracy. The Russian government has now targeted members of both political parties and appears intent on undermining confidence in our electoral process. We cannot allow such actions to go unanswered. President Obama must send a clear signal to Moscow: attempts to influence U.S. elections or interfere with our democratic system will be met with severe consequences. Only then can we deter this kind of cyber aggression. As Chairman, I will continue to work closely with Secretary Johnson and the Department of Homeland Security to ensure our government is equipped to provide state and local officials, if requested on a voluntary basis, with the tools they need to keep our critical networks secure. Vladimir Putin’s regime has crossed a line, and he should know that the United States will not allow our political process or our future to be dictated by foreign adversaries.”