Senate rejects effort to beef up states' election security spending 
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Senators on Wednesday rejected a Democratic proposal to provide states with more election security funding ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. 
 
Senators voted 50-47 against adding an amendment from Sen. Patrick LeahyPatrick Joseph Leahy‘Contingency’ spending in 3B budget deal comes under fire How the border deal came together Winners and losers in the border security deal MORE (D-Vt.) that would have provided the funding. Sixty votes were needed to include the proposal in the appropriations legislation under Senate rules. 
 
 
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The proposal, spearheaded by Leahy, would have provided $250 million for state election security grants. 
 
Republicans argue more funding isn't needed and that states haven't yet spent the $380 million previously approved by Congress. 
 
 
"We don't know how the first $380 million has even been spent, and the intelligence committee did an extensive research on how much money was needed and the $380 million amount was what was needed for the moment," he said. 
 
Leahy fired back that the "lights are blinking red" and Congress should approve more money before the election. 
 
"The president is not going to act. The duty has fallen to us. Let's not after an election find out that this country was defenseless against attacks from Russia and say oh, gosh, we should have done something," Leahy said. 
 
The Senate fight over election security comes as lawmakers are signaling that they are increasingly concerned that Russia will try to interfere in the 2018 election. 
 
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellDems ready aggressive response to Trump emergency order, as GOP splinters Green New Deal Resolution invites big picture governing ‘Contingency’ spending in 3B budget deal comes under fire MORE (R-Ky.) warned during a radio interview late last week that there would be "serious consequences" if the Russians tried to intervene in the 2018 congressional elections.
 
"And for myself what I've said is we better not see the Russians' hand in the 2018 election because there are going to be serious consequences if there are," he said.
 
Tags Russia Claire McCaskill Mitch McConnell James Lankford Patrick Leahy Bob Corker Hacking Election Security Appropriations Budget