U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins, left; Sen. Pat Roberts, middle; and Sen. Jerry Moran, right.

Topeka ? U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins on Monday joined both U.S. senators from Kansas in saying they’ll support a bipartisan probe into allegations that the Russian government hacked into campaign computer systems in an effort to sway the 2016 presidential election.

“It is important that our cybersecurity is bolstered and can defend attacks from foreign governments and hackers,” Jenkins said in a statement released Monday. “We already know that foreign actors have targeted our government before — such as the hack of the Office of Personnel and Management back in July. I believe Speaker (Paul) Ryan and our committees will be handling this issue regarding Russia. We cannot allow foreign governments to interfere with our Democracy.”

Jenkins represents the 2nd District of Kansas, which includes Lawrence and most of eastern Kansas outside the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Late Friday, the Washington Post reported that U.S. intelligence agencies had conducted an assessment, concluding that people with ties to the Russian government had provided the website WikiLeaks with thousands of emails hacked from the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s campaign as part of an effort to help Trump and hurt Clinton.

During a panel discussion at the Dole Institute of Politics in Lawrence that was conducted just hours before the Washington Post story was released, Clinton’s communications director Jennifer Palmieri said the WikiLeaks releases in the final days of the campaign had damaged Clinton’s chances.

Trump’s transition team responded quickly and harshly to the report, saying: “These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction,” according to CNN.

But Republican leaders in Congress were not so quick to dismiss the allegations.

Although some in Congress had called for an open, public investigation, possibly by a special joint committee, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Monday morning that the Senate Intelligence Committee would handle the Senate side of the investigation.

Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas, a former chairman of that committee, said he supports the idea.

“As a former Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator Roberts says the Senate Intelligence Committee is the appropriate place to conduct a bipartisan and comprehensive investigation,” Roberts’ office said in a statement.

Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran also offered his support.

“Congress and the American people deserve more information about this issue,” Moran said. “Senate leadership has confirmed that we will convene hearings to better understand these cyber-attacks by foreign actors. I will continue working to make certain we can protect our nation against foreign threats, wherever they originate and whatever method is employed.”