Members of the all-Republican Arkansas congressional delegation aren't referring to former Vice President Joe Biden as "president-elect."
But some of them say the Democrat should be getting intelligence briefings so that he's up to speed about the threats the nation faces.
Information that was shared with Biden during the campaign is no longer being offered now that the election is over, The Associated Press and others have reported.
Biden is ahead in the popular vote by more than 5 million votes and leads in enough states to secure a victory in the Electoral College. Unless recounts or court challenges reverse the current tallies, Biden is poised to win.
U.S. Sen. John Boozman of Rogers, U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford of Jonesboro and U.S. Rep. French Hill of Little Rock said Friday that they favor sharing information with President Donald Trump's election rival.
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"I believe that Joe Biden should begin to receive national security briefings as is customary," Hill said in a written statement.
Boozman agrees that it's important to keep Biden in the loop, the senator's spokesman, Patrick Creamer said.
"He should receive national security briefings as continuity, in that regard, is essential," he said.
Crawford, who serves on the House Intelligence Committee, would not object to Biden being updated, the representative's spokeswoman, Sara Robertson, said.
"The congressman is OK with Vice President Biden getting national security briefings. ... Both candidates usually get briefings after their nomination anyway so he doesn't see any reason why that shouldn't continue," she said.
Sharing the information more broadly could be problematic, she added.
"He does have concerns with any transitional team members attending briefings as many of them do not have a security clearance and [the General Services Administration] has not yet authorized transition briefings," she said.
After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks caught the U.S. unprepared, a commission suggested that delays in the presidential transition process may have contributed to the situation.
On Wednesday, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said it was important for Biden and his team to be briefed on national security matters, citing the 2000 transition as an example.
Two decades ago, Democrat Al Gore got more votes nationally than Republican George W. Bush, but with the Florida race too close to call, neither candidate had secured a majority in the Electoral College.
Ultimately, the outcome remained in limbo for more than a month, while Florida election officials scrutinized ballots and lawyers argued.
Roughly nine months after Bush secured victory, terrorists flew planes into the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon near Washington, D.C.
Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the coordinated attacks.
"Bush didn't have adequate time to get his national security team and all the people in place," Hutchinson said Wednesday. "That just alerts you to the challenge that we face."
U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee from Little Rock and U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman of Hot Springs did not respond to requests for comment. U.S. Rep. Steve Womack of Rogers could not be reached.
Information for this article was contributed by Tony Holt of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.