WASHINGTON, DC – Today, after the White House announced that President Barack Obama has ordered a full review into Russian hacking to potentially influence the 2016 U.S. election, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, says the committee plans to hold a bipartisan inquiry next year into Russia’s cyberthreats to the military and other institutions and could help shed light on suspected Russia interference in the 2016 U.S. election cycle.

“I am pleased the President is carefully reviewing this matter.  We shouldn’t allow any attack on our democratic system to go unchecked.  The American people deserve to know whether outside forces were working to undermine our electoral system or influence voters, and I hope the results of this review may be made public without jeopardizing intelligence sources or methods,” said Reed, who sent a letter to President Obama last month calling for the President to declassify and release more information about Russia’s involvement in the U.S. election.  In addition to Reed, the letter was signed by six other U.S. Senators who serve on the Intelligence Committee.

“Cyber security is critical to national security and there are a range of serious cyber challenges that must be addressed,” said Reed, who commended Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) for his willingness to tackle the issue in a bipartisan manner. “I hope we can have a productive, bipartisan examination of cyberthreats to our military, and shed some light on what role outside forces may have played in terms of interfering with the American political process.”

Other Senate committees, including the Foreign Relations Committee, have also expressed interest in holding hearings next year into alleged Russian hacking.