House Moves to Repeal Controversial Law Allowing Senators to Sue Justice Department

Washington, D.C. — The House on Wednesday unanimously voted to repeal a controversial provision in the government funding law that lets senators sue the Justice Department for up to $500,000 if their phone records are accessed without notification.

This provision, included in legislation that ended a historic government shutdown, requires that senators be informed when federal investigators obtain their phone records, with limited exceptions. If notification does not occur, lawmakers can seek damages from the federal government for each violation.

The House’s decision, which passed with a 426-0 vote, reflects concerns among members about the implications of the measure. However, the provision’s future remains uncertain in the Senate, where Majority Leader John Thune added it to the bill at the request of several Republican senators.

The urgency of repealing this provision follows the release of FBI records related to Operation “Arctic Frost.” This investigation examined a scheme involving false electors who attempted to submit Electoral College votes for Donald Trump from states won by Joe Biden in the 2020 election.

This issue has drawn attention and criticism from both sides of the aisle in Congress. House Speaker Mike Johnson stated he was caught off guard by the provision, while Thune continues to support it.

“We’re striking the provision as fast as we can, and we expect the Senate to move it,” said Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas in a CNN interview. “We believe there’s a fairly sizable growing majority over there that believes that they should strike it.”

Some senators whose phone records were seized during the Arctic Frost investigation have expressed their discomfort with the legislation. Missouri GOP Senator Josh Hawley labeled the provision a “bad idea.”

“I’m all for accountability. I mean, I had my phone tapped so I’m all for accountability, don’t get me wrong, but I just think taking taxpayer money is not the way to do it. The way to do it is tough oversight,” he remarked to reporters on Wednesday.