1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Secure Elections Act . 2. Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that— (1) the States conduct elections and should maintain control of and responsibility for them; (2) it is important to maintain State leadership in election administration; (3) free and fair elections are central to our democracy; (4) protecting our elections is a national security priority; and (5) an attack on our election systems by a foreign power is a hostile act and should be met with appropriate retaliatory actions, including immediate and severe sanctions. 3. Definitions In this Act: (1) Advisory panel The term Advisory Panel means the advisory panel of independent experts on election cybersecurity established under section 5(a)(1). (2) Appropriate congressional committees The term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Rules and Administration, the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Committee on Appropriations, the Select Committee on Intelligence, the majority leader, and the minority leader of the Senate; and (B) the Committee on House Administration, the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Homeland Security, the Committee on Appropriations, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Speaker, and the minority leader of the House of Representatives. (3) Appropriate Federal entities The term appropriate Federal entities means— (A) the Department of Commerce, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology; (B) the Department of Defense; (C) the Department, including the component of the Department that reports to the Under Secretary responsible for overseeing critical infrastructure protection, cybersecurity, and other related programs of the Department; (D) the Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation; (E) the Commission