Senate Spending Bill Includes $500,000 Phone-Record Shield for Senators Swept Up in Jan. 6 Probe

A government funding bill included a provision allowing senators to sue for $500,000 in damages if their phone records are subpoenaed without notification—retroactive to January 2022. The rider was inserted after FBI documents showed records of eight senators and one congressman were obtained during Jack Smith's Jan. 6 probe. The provision applied only to senators, not House members, including Rep. Mike Kelly whose records were also seized.