Members of the Election Assistance Commission about the security concerns head of the 2024 president ial election cycle. They talk about cyber threats, whose Artificial Intelligence, incontinence information. I called to order this hearing on oversight u. S. Election Assistance Commission, thank you all for being here. I want to thank you and ill give witness introduction in a moment. N first of all, senator klobuchar, she would like to be here but cant express her views as reflected in his Opening Statement i want to say under her behalf she appreciates your o work and your being here. Want to thank you that he was established with broad bipartisan support, good news that was about 20 years ago hearing importance responsibility of improving Election Administration security establishing cybersecurity guidelines for systems and promoting accessibility. What everyone to have the opportunity who can for that to be counted. Ec an election in all 50 states as well as the district of columbia. 2024 election of the eac Mission Remains important even more as officials are doing dedicated planning it takes to administer elections effectively while confronting the array of new challenges andnd threats to tart election workers to spread disinformation in the use of Artificial Intelligence. Weve got to continue to support the Election Officials on the front lines of our democracy and tbe able to rely on regular federal funding to do their jobs. These vital resources including 931 million in security grants since 2018 enable state and local officials to do everything from securing our elections against foreign interference and keeping pace with the evolvingi technology to recruit andd tran poll workers. When urgent issue the commission can helpte address the barrage f harassment targeting election workers. These are potential of the free and Fair Election and a number of colleagues in this committee and the comprehensive legislation to take the issue head on. We do need Bipartisan Solutions and last year the eac wrote unanimously to allow Election Officials to use federal funding workers fromection threats and harassment. Since then, states Like Washington and georgia used funds to improve the physical security of voting and ballot processing centers. I look forward to hearing more on this. In addition, eac helped enhance security of elections infrastructure essential for Public Confidence in the election including issuing new guidance to improve security in these Voting Machines. These have significant investments and Election Security to ensure the 2020 and 2022 elections were secure in the department of home and security has repeatedly made there. This commission serves as an Important Role in combating disinformation. My home state of vermont is experiencing the same challenges disinformation as others across the country. Secretary of state is on everythingen, his power and her power to combat the spread of fools claims about elections and im proud to report independent 22 election found no major discrepancy despite having record turnout. Unfortunately thats not stopped everyone for making pulse claims for state and federal elections. Im hopeful the eac can you playing a role seventh of spread of elections and ensuring every state is ready to face this growing challenge in 2024. Investing in our elections, it makes it harder to vote. Its like i and others support the freedom to vote act why i support the bill to restore the Voting Rights act. Our country has a history of passing laws to strengthen our democracy. A few weeks ago recognize the 20th anniversary of the National Voter registration act, voter law enacted with bipartisan support and last october 20 yearsrs since we past the help america vote act and thats where this organization started and i look forward to hearing about the effort to support local and state Election Officials. I want to think our witnesses and ill turn it over to our Ranking Member senator fisher, thank you. Good afternoon and thank you, senator for holding this hearing today. It is a pleasure to sit with you. I told senator to keep him under control. I want to extend gratitude to our witnesses for eac commissioners to join us today. We look forward to hearing your perspective, insight and experiences guiding the eac work as we set our sights on the 2024 election and beyond. Todays hearing provides an opportunity for the committee to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the commissions operation, noted areas for identify improvement and address existing and emerging challenges but the eac plays an Important Role, the only federal agency with the soul responsibly of helping the state improve their administration of federal elections. Which in turn, helps to ensure the security and legitimacy of the voting franchise. It collaborates with dates and local officials, shares best practices, credit testing laboratories, certifies Voting Systems and promote vital resources to help in short elections are conducted with integrity. It is in my view, the best most appropriate entity to play this role. In recent years, Election Officials have confronted and increased threat to Election Integrity and cybersecurity. The eac stands wellpositioned to help Election Officials respond to emerging challenges and in an ever evolving landscape. I look forward to hearing about the missions recent overhaul of the Voting System guidelines, technical standards Voting System certified by the the federal government. I understand these standards include significant improvements in preventing attacks on our election infrastructure. As you know, states are tasked with important work of recruiting, training and retaining Election Officials and poll workers. It is concerning we continue to hear about difficulty of recruitment and retainment. Dealing withti emerging issues have become all the more difficult as those with the most experience retirement. The eac has done its part raisingcu awareness through the value role of poll workers and inspiring creative civil engagement to the establishment of national coworker recruitment they grade i was pleased to hear on this day that was so successful, i was pleased to hear this day was so successful that the eac designated august 16, 2022 as help america vote day to further encourage more americans to sign up poll workers. While we recognize the accomplishments of the eac, we must remain diligent in our pursuit of continued recruitment. Public demands and electoral system that is transparent but secure. Our duty to ensure eac is equipped with necessary tools, resources and guidance to fulfill its mission effectively. Once again, i extend appreciation to witnesses for the presence and commitment helping preserve the public trust. Thank you, senator fisher. First witness, Kristi Mccormick confirmed in 2014, previously served as an attorney in the voting section of the department of justice and u. S. Embassy in baghdad where she oversaw iraqs national election. Thank you for that. She received her bachelors from the university of buffalo and law degree. Our next witness will be vice chair who was confirmed in 2019. Thank you for joining the commission. Hes spent several years working with the rules committee will think of it. First Peter Schumer and senator klobuchar to serve as deputy general for the mercenary bigotry and received his bachelors from the university of arkansas law degree from the university of oregon. Mr. Tom hicks joined the commission in december of 2014 and prior to his current role, he served as counsel for the committee on Health Administration and work for common causes of personal management in the Clinton Administration and received his bachelors from Court University and law degree from the university of america. While witness is Donald Palmer confirmed his commission in january 2019. Mr. Palmer previously served as secretary of Virginia State board of elections and the attorney with the section of the department of justice and he served for more than two decades in Intelligence Officer in general and the navy and received his bachelors from jacksonville university, masters from george washington. Five minute statement and then start with chairwoman mckormick. Ranking member fisher andr members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to appearwi before you to discuss e work of the u. S. Election Assistance Commission as we prepare for the 2024 elections. We appreciate the committees crucial oversight efforts and close attention to eac. Ourel nationelections faced increased scrutiny over the years and this committee demonstrated byy showing leadership and important administrators. Whether listen together needs of Election Officials, furthering work under the help america vote act or providing grants for Election Security, Congress Worked closely with states to reinforce this Critical Infrastructure. Independent bipartisan agency, the eac stands in a unique position to work with congress and further states and localities in the efficient and accurate administration of elections. The field faced ever growing challenges and the need for election assistance and many of the challenges including Adequate Funding and security for Voting Systems are not new. Othersgr however have increase suddenly in recent years. Making Voter Education more challenging and in addition to administering elections and officials must must be have cybersecurity threats and many Election Officials have left the field citing safety, increased requirements and expectations and lack of resources now more than ever, Election Officials need our support. With the help of the committee, eac determined to do all it can to meet the challenges. Over theec past year, commissioners redoubled outreach and travel across the country and underscored the work of Election Administrators in the 2022 midterms but also the Significant Impact of efforts by the federal government to provide guidance, monetary resources andsc best practice materials. Election officials expressed sincere gratitude for resources dedicated to safety and security. This includes millions in security grants and congress and eac. The elections is a diversity of practices, laws and regulations and more than 3 millions and thousands of localities, it takes nearly 1 million poll workers to operate election polling sites. Supporting election decisions and developing election guidance, acs newly expanded clearinghouse division made more than 60 products o since 20201 o assist Election Administrators and they reflect the need for unbias source guidance and Election Administration. Earlier this year, we hired an experienced government leader, steven fridge, to serve as new executive director. One person is not an agency make and eac hired needed support soft to assist in the election process and role it plays as Critical Infrastructure and marked 20th anniversary in 2022 and chemorating the historic milestone with launch help america vote dayle and Second National poll worker recruitment day. This permanent outreach platform offers a custom look up tools and details and official contacts and required training and polling place powers. In 2022, the eac polling web page had 306,000 page views and receiving modification through election offices and responses and information legally updated on the site. Well continue to offer resources relating to poll worker recruitment, retention and leagued up to 2024 including National Poll worker recruitment day and poll worker day. Members of this Committee Welcome this efforts and welcome your input moving forward and on going support from congress, theyll provide necessary assistance and protect the integrity of the u. S. Elections. I wowed like to again thank the committee for the oversight in support of eac as well as opportunityy to speak here. I will now turn the discussion over to commissioner to discuss cuss the commissions financial oversight and grants management. Thank you. Good afternoon. Y welcome chairman and chairwoman klobuchar and the members of the committee for inviting us to testify about the work of the u. S. Ch election assistance. My name is ben huwland and im the current vice chair of eac and look forward to sharing updates october the commissions grants management and internal control and budget. The funds enclouding 950 million provided since 2018 are a key resource for Election Administrators responding to increased technology and changing demands of the field to elmore fade pattern sighs the importance and01 impact of this funding, i would note the election Infrastructure Sector specific plan states it is impossible to make an honest acespedesment of the election assessment of the infrastructure rub section risk and mitigate that without understanding of chronic resource the subsector face at all level, the government. As we look forward 2024, i believe it has never been more challenging to administer elections or more expensive. Thats why Grant Funding in partnership with the states is so crucial. We value your efforts to address the needs of state and local governments through congressional through the congressional aprop rations appropriations process. As of march 31st, 95 of fy 2018 security funds have been expended. Including additional elections and fy2022 and 23 states have been a total of 529 million in funds awarded between 2018 and 2023, which is approximately 56 of available Grant Funding. The local governments and form of subgrants and others rely on the funds for staff and materials at the state level. The security needs and differing timetables for significant purchases such as Voting System replacement or new statewide Voter Registration data bases usage rates varied across the country and expenditure reports due on july 30 and well update you on continued impact possible by these much appreciated funds. As set forth under h aba, audits of Election Security grants are conducted after security states begin to expend the funds alongside distribution and administration efforts, the eacs office of Inspector General recently added resources and staff to better monitor state spending for Election Security grants. New staff leadership in place, the agency has invested in building up staff capacity strategically across the eac. However the eac still faces significant attrition challenges and its essential we maintain adequate Staffing Levels for the functions to ensure the statutory mandated requirements are met and eac Inspector General raised structural issues related to laba discussed in her management challenges in the u. S. Ec election in fiscal year u. S. 2023. My colleagues and i conquer with those observations and its in the recommended legislative notes and the ability to pay competitive wages compared to congress or other federal agencies hampers the ability to restrict and obtain talent. Were however committed to doing everything we can with the resources we v. Eac grateful for increased funding provided by congress in recent years after facing over a decade of 2010 rebudget levels since 2023 and 2021 and successfully departmented and executing the budget by congresst ending each year with an obligation rate of over 99 . Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today, and i look forward to answering any questions you may have. I want the senator from tennessee to join us and senator britt was here briefly, thank you. Commissioner palmer. Thank you, chairman. Ranking member fisher and members of the committee and my fellow commissioners and appreciatuation for the investment youve made in the nations elections through continued support of eac. The chair hoglang and advancing ttesting and certification in several areas and Voting System certification and does not end with a successful test in an accredited laboratory and reviewing the life span of the voting equipment. As a result of the agency and preparing to launch of innovative Field Program and st