SR0094 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0094 LRB100 08919 MST 19062 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, All Americans agree that Russia's deliberate interference in our nation's democratic processes is a matter of grave national security; and

WHEREAS, Recently disclosed United States intelligence findings have reported that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election and sought to undermine our democratic institutions; and

WHEREAS, On January 6, 2017, an Intelligence Community assessment entitled "Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent U.S. Elections" assessed that "Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the U.S. presidential election"; and

WHEREAS, The same assessment warns that "Moscow will apply lessons learned from its Putin-ordered campaign aimed at the U.S. Presidential election to future influence efforts worldwide, including against U.S. allies and their election processes"; and

WHEREAS, As a result, U.S. Senator Richard Durbin, Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein, and all committee Democrats have called for an independent, bipartisan commission or a select committee of Congress to investigate these allegations of Russian interference; and

WHEREAS, The National Intelligence Estimate is the formal, authoritative assessment of the Director of National Intelligence related to a particular national security issue, which reflects the collective judgment of the nation's 17 intelligence agencies; and

WHEREAS, The public also needs assurance that federal law enforcement is actively investigating these matters and that, if the investigation finds evidence that Russian officials perpetrated or directed such acts, appropriate criminal charges and sanctions will be announced and enforced; and

WHEREAS, It is also clear that the American public needs confirmation that America's next Attorney General would continue any investigation on this matter, independent of directives by the White House to terminate it; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge a full bipartisan investigation by Congress and support the call for a National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) to determine the extent of Russian intervention in the 2016 United States presidential election, because this issue requires the full attention of the executive and legislative branches alike, and a conclusive, public national intelligence estimate will lay out the facts for the American people; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to President Donald Trump, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and all members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation.