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1h ago

House Unanimously Votes to Repeal Senate Provision Allowing $500,000 Lawsuits

Inserted by John Thune into the shutdown deal, the retroactive measure now faces an uncertain Senate path.

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A view of the dome of the U.S. Capitol building, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. U.S., September 19, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura/File Photo
Senate Majority Leader John Thune prepares to speak to reporters at the US Capitol on November 19, 2025, in Washington, DC.
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Overview

  • The House voted 426-0 to scrap the clause that lets senators sue the government if their phone or office data was accessed without notice.
  • Senate action is unclear as Thune, who controls the floor, has defended the measure and Republicans are split on repeal or revisions, which would likely require 60 votes.
  • The provision grants at least $500,000 per violation, requires carrier notifications, and applies retroactively to records obtained in the Jack Smith-led Arctic Frost probe.
  • Several targeted Republicans, including Josh Hawley and Susan Collins, back repeal, while Lindsey Graham says he will sue for far more than $500,000 and favors expanding legal recourse.
  • Senate Democrats led by Mark Kelly and Martin Heinrich filed a companion repeal bill, and Chuck Schumer has signaled support for striking the language.