House Democrats are prodding their Republican colleagues to examine foreign threats to upcoming U.S. elections, raising concerns that the Trump administration is not adequately tackling the threat.

The top Democrats on four House committees demanded Thursday that their Republican counterparts hold a joint hearing on election security featuring top Trump administration officials.

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“Election security is a national security issue, and it is time this Congress treated it like one,” the Democrats wrote in Thursday's letter. “We are concerned that the Trump administration is not doing enough to address vulnerabilities to our election systems.”





The letter was signed by the top Democrats on the House Administration, Judiciary, Oversight and Homeland Security committees.

Several House and Senate panels have held public hearings on election security in recent weeks, including the House Homeland Security and Oversight committees.

The House and Senate Intelligence committees have also undertaken separate investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election; the House investigation wrapped up earlier this year, and the Senate's probe is expected to conclude next month.

Still, Thursday’s letter is the latest sign that Democrats don’t believe GOP leaders are doing enough to investigate the issue of election security following Russia's meddling.

The letter, which cites President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE’s comments in Helsinki casting doubt on the intelligence community’s assessment of Moscow's interference, questions the administration’s moves on election security.

The Democrats want to hear from several top national security officials, including FBI Director Christopher Wray, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen Kirstjen Michele NielsenMore than million in DHS contracts awarded to firm of acting secretary's wife: report DHS IG won't investigate after watchdog said Wolf, Cuccinelli appointments violated law Appeals court sides with Trump over drawdown of immigrant protections MORE, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats Daniel (Dan) Ray CoatsFBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Trump, Biden renew push for Latino support Former Intel chief had 'deep suspicions' that Putin 'had something on Trump': book MORE and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Rod RosensteinDOJ kept investigators from completing probe of Trump ties to Russia: report Five takeaways from final Senate Intel Russia report FBI officials hid copies of Russia probe documents fearing Trump interference: book MORE.

They also want Republicans to request testimony from Tom Hicks, the chairman of the U.S. Election Assistance Committee — an independent body convened by Congress that plays a role in helping state officials secure their election systems from cyber threats.

Democrats signaled they want to question Wray on recent reports about the departure of top FBI cyber officials, including the leader of the bureau’s foreign influence task force.

They also wrote that they want to grill Rosenstein on a new Justice Department policy he rolled out last week to address foreign influence operations “in order to understand what specific steps federal agencies are taking to address threats to our elections.”

House Democrats have been consistently vocal in their criticism of Republicans for what they see as a failure to address election security following revelations about Russian meddling in the election.

Officials say that Russian hackers targeted election systems, such as voter databases and websites, in 21 states before the 2016 election as part of the broader interference plot.

Earlier this week, Democrats on the Oversight Committee tried and failed to subpoena Coats to testify publicly before the committee during a hearing on election security, after Chairman Trey Gowdy Harold (Trey) Watson GowdySunday shows preview: Election integrity dominates as Nov. 3 nears Tim Scott invokes Breonna Taylor, George Floyd in Trump convention speech Sunday shows preview: Republicans gear up for national convention, USPS debate continues in Washington MORE (R-S.C.) declined to invite him to testify that day but offered the prospect of a classified hearing in the future.

Top Trump officials, including Nielsen, Wray and Coats, briefed Congress behind closed doors on election security in May — though the meeting was sparsely attended. The Department of Homeland Security has taken the lead on engaging with states to test their systems for vulnerabilities and share information on emerging cyber threats.

Thursday’s letter is signed by Democratic Reps. Robert Brady (Penn.), Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.), Elijah Cummings Elijah Eugene CummingsBlack GOP candidate accuses Behar of wearing black face in heated interview Overnight Health Care: US won't join global coronavirus vaccine initiative | Federal panel lays out initial priorities for COVID-19 vaccine distribution | NIH panel: 'Insufficient data' to show treatment touted by Trump works House Oversight Democrats to subpoena AbbVie in drug pricing probe MORE (Md.) and Bennie Thompson Bennie Gordon ThompsonHouse panel pans ICE detention medical care, oversight Senate to hold nomination hearing for Wolf next week Hillicon Valley: FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden | Treasury Dept. sanctions Iranian government-backed hackers MORE (Miss.).