Skip to main content

Protecting Democracy

The need to safeguard our democracy from threats within our own borders was never more evident than on January 6.  I was in the House gallery that day, and I am grateful for the Capitol police and law enforcement that put their lives on the line to keep myself and my colleagues safe. Despite the danger we faced, I was proud that Congress returned to session that night and followed through on our constitutional responsibility to certify the election. Two weeks later, we were able to stand in nearly the exact same place the attack began and watch as President Joe Biden was sworn in.

I was a staunch supporter of the January 6th Committee as a means to investigate exactly what took place in the days leading up to and on January 6th. I believe the committee made it clear that Donald Trump was at the heart of inciting his supporters to overturn the results of the election and attack our nation’s capital. 

Their investigation provided further insight into the degree to which Former President Trump sought to claim false evidence of voter fraud in the 2020 election. This lie, perpetuated by members of Congress, mainstream television hosts, and the former president himself presented one of the most clear and dangerous attempts to undermine our democracy in recent time. In response to the former president’s actions, I supported a vote to impeach Donald Trump for the second time.

In addition to these efforts, it is no secret that Moscow has a longstanding desire to undermine the liberal democratic order led by the United States. Vladimir Putin’s goal to erode public trust in the democratic process is evident by his intrusion in our election, but also by his willingness to disrupt the electoral process across Europe. As a former member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, I was heavily involved in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and former President Trump’s relationship with the country. 

We must continue our efforts to ensure Russia never meddles in our democracy again. Their actions not only threaten our democratic processes and our founding ideals but also our economy and security.

In an effort to combat attempted attacks on our democratic process, I co-sponsored the bipartisan PAPER Act to assist states as they strengthen the cybersecurity defenses of their election systems. The intelligence community has confirmed that Russian intelligence breached 39 states’ boards of elections, including in Illinois. I have been working with Illinois election officials at every level of government to discuss the vulnerabilities that still exist and the work that remains to strengthen and modernize our election infrastructure. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I supported a fiscal year 2022 funding bill that includes $75 million for Election Security Grants.

Just as we have worked to protect our democracy from Russian interference, I believe we must work to protect vulnerable democracies around the world. This was most evident with our response to Putin’s illegal, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. As Co-Chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, I am proud that the U.S. has responded in full force, and continued to aid Ukraine in this fight. We are sending a message to Vladimir Putin and to all authoritarian leaders that we will not sit back as civilians are murdered, sham elections are conducted, and people’s freedoms are undermined. 

Moving forward, protecting our democracy, our freedoms and our values must be top of mind.