Rogers said, however, that voting systems are very different across the country and can't all be infiltrated the same way.
"One advantage I do see from a defensive standpoint is that the structure is so disparate with some elements being still very manually focused, others being more electronically and interconnected — because it's not just one nationwide, single, integrated structure. That tends to help us I think defensively here," Rogers said.
"But it is a concern?" asked McCain.
"Oh, yes, sir," Rogers replied.
Rogers declined to confirm reports that Russia had already infiltrated state voting systems, but he said "this continues to be an issue of great focus both for the foreign intelligence community, attempting to generate insights as to what foreign nations are doing in this area.”
When
asked by McCain whether this was the first time a foreign nation had
interfered in U.S. elections, Rogers said: "We continue to see activity
of concern. Again, I'm not going to characterize, is it a foreign nation
state or not?"
McCain also asked Rogers and Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Marcel Lettre whether the U.S. had a policy to deal with Russian interference in U.S. elections.
"The government is intending to rely on the results of the investigation being led by the [FBI] to inform its policy," said Lettre.
"I'm asking if we have a policy — and the answer is 'no,' " McCain said.