Experts agree.

Experts agree there is overwhelming evidence that Russia interfered with the 2016 presidential election. Our nation’s 17 federal intelligence agencies said they are confident that Russia directed these cyber-attacks, and they were intended to interfere with the U.S. election process. The head of the National Security Agency said there is no doubt that this was a targeted and conscious effort to achieve a specific result. And the Intelligence Community also said that they believe that only Russia’s senior-most officials could have authorized these activities.

This is not a Democratic or Republican issue. This was a direct attack on our democracy. And that impacts every American. Our election process is the bedrock of our nation’s democracy. Any attempt by a foreign power to undermine our elections is a direct attack on our country, and it should chill every Member of Congress and American — red or blue — to the core. This is so much bigger than the 2016 presidential election. When countries like Russia are able to influence our electoral process — and we do nothing about it — we allow them to degrade our democracy.

http://qz.com/838615/nsa-chief-on-wikileaks-and-the-hacks-affecting-the-us-election-a-conscious-effort-by-a-nation-state

Republicans agree. Senator Lindsey Graham called for a Senate investigation, saying Republicans cannot sit on the sidelines and let allegations about foreign governments interfere in our election just because it may have been beneficial to them in this case. Senator Marco Rubio said, “Today it is the Democrats. Tomorrow it could be us.”

This commission will do a bipartisan, independent and robust review of Russia’s efforts to influence our election and attack our nation’s democracy, and it will make specific recommendations for the future. This issue is far too important to delay. We need to act immediately on multiple fronts. We must preserve the integrity of our democracy and Americans’ trust in our electoral system. Everyone should agree with that. We sincerely hope all our colleagues will stand with us, support this bill, and ensure that our elections remain sacred.

Ranking Member Elijah E. Cummings