Overview
- An amendment now in law allows any U.S. senator to sue the federal government for at least $500,000 per instance if their electronic data is disclosed without notice, with each device or account counting separately.
- The measure applies retroactively to alleged violations since Jan. 1, 2022, and stems from revelations that investigators obtained call‑detail records for eight Republican senators during Jan. 6‑related probes.
- Speaker Mike Johnson said he was shocked by the addition and announced a standalone repeal bill to be taken up under suspension next week, a process that requires two‑thirds support to pass the House.
- Only senators are covered by the new remedy, a limitation that has drawn criticism from both parties and leaves affected House members without the same legal recourse.
- Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of the eight whose records were obtained, said he will definitely sue under the statute; the data at issue involve tolling records, not the content of calls, and notice can be delayed by court order or if the senator is a target.