The House of Representatives overwhelmingly rejected a provision that would have allowed Republican senators whose phone records were seized by former special counsel Jack Smith to sue the federal government. The measure, which was included in the recently passed bill to end the 43-day government shutdown, was introduced at the last minute by Senate leaders and sparked significant backlash from both parties.
Despite supporters claiming the provision was necessary to provide senators with recourse when the executive branch oversteps its constitutional bounds, the inclusion of the measure was met with outrage from both parties. The repeal passed 426 to 0, with 210 Democrats and 216 Republicans in the tally. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., who was involved in crafting the successful funding deal, expressed concern that the provision could have derailed the final vote to end the shutdown.
The measure was placed into the bill by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and was given the green light by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., sources confirmed to Fox News Digital last week. While several senators who would be eligible for taxpayer-funded lawsuits have distanced themselves from the issue amid the uproar, others have defended the provision, with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., saying he would be seeking ‘tens of millions of dollars’ in damages.
The controversy underscores the ongoing tensions between the House and Senate and raises questions about the role of the executive branch in accessing congressional communications. The provision, which was dubbed ‘Requiring Senate Notification for Senate Data,’ was added without prior knowledge by the House, leading to concerns about the trust between the two chambers. The inclusion of the measure in the shutdown bill has highlighted the political dynamics and the challenges of maintaining legislative unity in a deeply divided Congress.