Douglas E. Lute Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Lieutenant General, U.S. Army, Retired I’ve spent my entire adult life in the national security arena: Europe during the Cold War, the Balkans in the 1990s, the Middle East since 9/11, in the Pentagon, the White House, and most recently at NATO headquarters in Brussels. I’ve studied national security at West Point and at Harvard. So, why am I now introducing a report on cyber hacking of our voting systems? The answer is simple: last year’s attack on America’s voting process is as serious a threat to our democracy as any I have ever seen in the last 40+ years – potentially more serious than any physical attack on our Nation. Loss of life and damage to property are tragic, but we are resilient and can recover. Losing confidence in the security of our voting process – the fundamental link between the American people and our government – could be much more damaging. In short, this is a serious national security issue that strikes at the core of our democracy. Our voting systems are not secure. Why is this so serious? Why must we act now? Why is this a national security issue? First, Russia has demonstrated successfully that they can use cyber tools against the US election process. This is not an academic theory; it is not hypothetical; it is real. This is a proven, credible threat. Russia is not going away. They will learn lessons from 2016 and try again. Also, others are watching. If Russia can attack our election, so can others: Iran, North Korea, ISIS, or even criminal or extremist groups. Time is short: our 2018 and 2020 elections are just around the corner and they are lucrative targets for any cyber opponent. We need a sense of urgency now. Finally, this is a national security issue because other democracies – our key allies and partners – are also vulnerable. Thousands of state and local election officials are responsible for administering elections but they are often overburdened and under-resourced. It is not their job alone to deal with this national security threat. For over 40 years I voted by mailing an absentee ballot from wherever I was stationed around the world. I assumed voting security was someone else’s job; I didn’t worry about it. I don’t feel that way anymore. Now I am convinced that I must get involved. I hope you will come to the same conclusion.