170 lawmakers cosign bill calling for commission on election hacking

More than 170 lawmakers have signed on to a Democratic bill that calls for the creation a commission to investigate foreign interference in the 2016 elections.

Reps. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) and Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) reintroduced their bill on Friday, the same day President-elect Donald Trump is receiving an intelligence briefing about Russian meddling the electoral process and one day after a Senate hearing on the topic.

{mosads}“The most senior leaders of our Intelligence Community testified yesterday that Russia interfered in our elections, which Republicans and Democrats alike have compared to an act of war,” said Cummings in a written statement.

“This grave threat calls for a truly bipartisan and independent commission.”

The Protecting Our Democracy Act would appoint a 12-member committee, with three members each appointed by the top ranking members of each party in the House and Senate. It would provide 18 months for an investigation.

The bill was originally released last month during the previous Congress. It now boasts the endorsement of all Democrats on the Intelligence and Oversight subcommittees, every ranking committee member and the complete Democratic leadership. 

“We continue to seek Republican cosponsors because this must be about country, not party. If we do nothing, we are telling the world our elections are open for influence by the most aggressive meddler,” Swalwell said in a statement.