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Read. Follow. Verify.Senate Hearing on Russian Influence in Europe
Record date · January 1, 2017
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What This Bill Does
The Senate on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs held a hearing to examine Russian political and military interference in Eastern European nations. Senators and foreign representatives discussed the potential for creating a U.S. 'counter-Russia' fund to provide cybersecurity and economic assistance to these democratic allies.
The is considering creating a new federal funding account to provide cybersecurity and economic aid to Eastern European nations facing Russian interference, which would impact the federal budget and U.S. foreign policy priorities.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Eastern European Nations
These nations are the primary targets of the proposed U.S. 'counter-Russia' assistance fund.
U.S. Taxpayers
Taxpayers would fund the proposed 'counter-Russia' account through federal appropriations.
Key Facts
- The Senate Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs met on March 7, 2017, to discuss Russian policies toward European nations.
- Chairman Lindsey Graham proposed the creation of a 'counter-Russia' or 'soft power' account to provide financial assistance to emerging democracies.
- Proposed assistance includes cybersecurity, trade support, and other tools to help allies withstand Russian interference.
- The hearing included testimony from representatives of Ukraine, Poland, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.
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- Senators discussed Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, including the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and John Podesta's emails.
- The subcommittee aims to unite the Republican and Democratic parties in response to foreign interference in democratic processes.
- The hearing addressed Russia's annexation of Crimea, occupation of Georgian territory, and support for the Assad regime in Syria.
Frequently Asked Questions
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Bipartisan push for counter-Russia funding
The hearing demonstrates a rare moment of bipartisan agreement between the subcommittee chair and ranking member regarding the need for a dedicated federal account to counter Russian influence.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy75Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment40Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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