{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=781", "Connolly and House Foreign Affairs Democrats Request Urgent Hearing To Examine Potential Foreign Attempts to Influence U.S. Elections", "2016-11-17", "2016", "2016-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Gerald Connolly", "C001078", "connolly.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cWe cannot ignore these facts merely because Election Day has come and gone. The Committee must understand and be prepared to counter what constitutes a potentially unprecedented intervention by a foreign government into U.S. elections.\u201d\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Today, Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and 15 members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee requested an urgent hearing to examine reportedly deliberate attempts by foreign governments to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. In a letter sent to Ranking Member Eliot Engel, the Members wrote, \u201cWe cannot ignore these facts merely because Election Day has come and gone. The Committee must understand and be prepared to counter what constitutes a potentially unprecedented intervention by a foreign government into U.S. elections.\u201d\r\nThe letter was signed by Representatives Gerald E. Connolly, Brad Sherman, Gregory Meeks, Albio Sires, Ted Deutch, Brian Higgins, William R. Keating, David Cicilline, Ami Bera, Alan Lowenthal, Grace Meng, Lois Frankel, Joaquin Castro, Brendan F. Boyle, Robin Kelly, and Karen Bass.\r\nThe Members note that, \u201cOn October 7, 2016, the Department of Homeland Security and Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Election Security released a joint statement saying \u201cThe U.S. Intelligence Community (USIC) is confident that the Russian Government directed the recent compromises of emails from U.S. persons and institutions, including from U.S. political organizations.\u201d The USIC went further to explicitly state that \u201cthese thefts and disclosures are intended to interfere with the U.S. election process,\u201d and \u201conly Russia\u2019s senior-most officials could have authorized these activities.\u201d We cannot ignore these facts merely because Election Day has come and gone.\u201d\r\nThe members added, \u201cThe Committee must understand and be prepared to counter what constitutes a potentially unprecedented intervention by a foreign government into U.S. elections.\u201d\r\nFull letter follows and is available here:\r\nNovember 17, 2016\r\nThe Honorable Eliot Engel, Ranking Member\r\nCommittee on Foreign Affairs\r\nU.S. House of Representatives\r\nWashington, D.C. 20515\r\nDear Ranking Member Engel:\r\nWe write to ask that you request an urgent hearing in the House Foreign Affairs Committee to examine reportedly deliberate attempts by foreign governments to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.\r\nOn October 7, 2016, the Department of Homeland Security and Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Election Security released a joint statement saying \u201cThe U.S. Intelligence Community (USIC) is confident that the Russian Government directed the recent compromises of emails from U.S. persons and institutions, including from U.S. political organizations.\u201d The USIC went further to explicitly state that \u201cthese thefts and disclosures are intended to interfere with the U.S. election process,\u201d and \u201conly Russia\u2019s senior-most officials could have authorized these activities.\u201d We cannot ignore these facts merely because Election Day has come and gone.\r\nThe Committee must understand and be prepared to counter what constitutes a potentially unprecedented intervention by a foreign government into U.S. elections. The Committee has previously seen fit to examine foreign propaganda directed at American audiences. On April 15, 2015, the Committee conducted a hearing titled \u201cConfronting Russia\u2019s Weaponization of Information.\u201d This hearing examined Russia\u2019s use of media to destabilize Ukraine, Eastern Europe and beyond, and the U.S. government\u2019s inability to respond effectively.\r\nThe Committee\u2019s initiative to respond to this threat is appreciated. We believe this front against foreign influence is a potential venue for bipartisan collaboration.\r\nRanking Member Engel, one of our most cherished institutions, democratic elections free of foreign interference, is in question. We believe our committee can play a critical and constructive role in investigating and highlighting such foreign influence, and we respectfully request that you convene a hearing on the matter.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=781"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8624191395938396, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}