U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday said he had called on two key Senate panels to recommend additional action aimed at preventing future election meddling by Russia as well as hold hearings on Russia sanctions law.

McConnell, in a statement, said he asked the Republican chairmen of the Senate Banking and Foreign Relations Committees to act "as part of Congress' ongoing efforts to form part of any national response to meddling by Russia or any other nation in our 2018 elections."