[inaudible conversations] today that ca committee convenes their sixth open hearing of 2017 to further examine russias interference in the elections. This is another opportunity for the committee and the American People to drill down on this vitally important docket. In 2016, a hostile foreign power reach down to the state and local levels to touch motor data. It employed relatively sophisticated cyber tools and capabilities and helped moscow to potentially build detailed knowledge of how our elections work. It was also another example of russian efforts to interfere into a democracy with the goal of undermining our system. In 2016, we were woefully unprepared to defend and respond, and im hopeful that we will not be caught flatfooted again. Our witnesses are here to tell us more about what happened in 2016, what that tells us about russian intentions, and what we should expect in 2018 and 2020. I am deeply concerned that if we do not work in lockstep with the states to secure our elec