WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement today after the release of a declassified intelligence report highlighting Russian hacking and interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election:

“Our elections should be decided by American citizens, not foreign hackers, heads of state, or their propagandists.

This report shows that Russian operatives actively manipulated our presidential election. They left cyber fingerprints and the U.S. intelligence community unanimously concluded that Russia intervened with the intention of undermining Hillary Clinton and helping Donald Trump. The report clearly states: 'the Russian Government aspired to help President-elect Trump’s election chances when possible by discrediting Secretary Clinton and publicly contrasting her unfavorably to him.'

Regardless, as Senator McCain points out: this was an attack on all Americans because it undermines our democracy.

We know that Russia continues to engage in similar cyber campaigns and we need to take corrective action to put a stop to it.

This declassified report is a start, but it is not enough. The American public has been given a glimpse of a few pieces of a much larger puzzle. They deserve as much information as can be provided without putting our intelligence assets and techniques at risk. And the most effective way to achieve that goal is through an independent, select committee to investigate Russian interference with our election.

There is hard evidence and broad consensus from U.S. intelligence officials on this matter, and there ought to be bipartisan consensus and action from Congress, too.

This is not about embarrassing the President-elect; it’s about protecting our democracy. I realize this may be an uncomfortable situation for President-elect Trump, but the American people and the strength of our democracy should come first.”