Van Hollen, Rasmussen Discuss DETER Act, Need to Coordinate on Russian Election Interference

Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former Secretary General of NATO and Prime Minister of Denmark, met to discuss the DETER Act and the need for the United States and the European Union to coordinateefforts to counter Russian interference in elections.

"Across the globe, democratic elections are under attack from Russian interference. The DETER Act sends an unequivocal message to the Kremlin and any other foreign actor who may follow its example: if you attack us, the consequences will be severe," said Senator Van Hollen. "The legislation also calls for increased coordination on this critical issue with our partners in Europe, and today's conversation was part of that effort."

"Russia deploys increasingly sophisticated tactics that sow disunity, fear and confusion across the West. On both sides of the Atlantic, we must work together and forge a consensus to tackle election interference head-on. I commend Senator Van Hollen's bipartisan legislation and I look forward to working with other U.S. and EU leaders to protect the integrity of free and fair elections," said Mr. Rasmussen.

The Defending Elections from Threats by Establishing Redlines (DETER) Act would directly address foreign interference in our elections from Russia or any other country. The legislation has received bipartisan praise from Robert Blackwill and Philip Gordon at the Council for Foreign Relations, former Vice President Joe Biden,and former National Security Advisory Susan Rice. It would impose tough sanctions on Russia if itinterferesin our democratic process in the future.

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