Republicans signal unhappiness with phone record provision in funding bill
House Republicans have expressed dissatisfaction with a provision in a Senate-funded government bill related to Operation Arctic Frost. This provision would allow senators affected by the operation to sue the government and receive compensation, including up to $500,000 in damages plus legal fees, when special counsel Jack Smith accessed their phone records. Key Republicans, including reps. Tom Cole, Chip Roy, Austin Scott, and Morgan Griffith, criticized the inclusion of this measure during a House Rules Committee hearing, with some calling for its removal or clarification. Despite their concerns-particularly about the financial compensation aspect-they signaled a willingness to set aside objections temporarily to pass the funding bill and end the government shutdown. The provision also mandates that phone carriers notify senators if their communication records are requested, except in criminal investigations. Senator Ted Cruz noted that Senate Majority Leader John Thune inserted the language to strengthen protections against Justice Department overreach, which Cruz described as unprecedented politicization under President Joe Biden.
Republicans signal unhappiness with phone record provision in government funding bill
House Republicans signalled their unhappiness with a Senate provision that would allow those affected by Operation Arctic Frost to sue the government.
Reps. Tom Cole (R-OK), Chip Roy (R-TX), Austin Scott (R-GA), and Morgan Griffith (R-VA) were among the Republicans who voiced displeasure with the provision in a House Rules Committee hearing. The provision would allow affected senators to collect payments for damages, plus attorneys’ fees, of up to $500,000 for each time special counsel Jack Smith retained their call logs.
“It is beside my comprehension” that the provision was included, Roy said. “That provision needs to get fixed.”
The language of the bill, he added, is why “people have a low opinion of this town.”
Scott said he wasn’t happy about the provision, while Cole said he didn’t even know how it ended up in the bill. Griffith said he was annoyed by it.
Despite the displeasure, however, all signaled that they would put their objections on hold in order to get the bill through quickly and end the government shutdown. Cole signaled that he would push for a vote later to overturn the measure.
Though the financial compensation aspect was the most objectionable part, the provision would also require phone carriers to immediately notify senators and their congressional offices if their communication records are sought, unless they’re under criminal investigation.
According to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), the language of the provision was directly inserted by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD).
FUNDING BILL OPENS THE DOOR TO COMPENSATE GOP SENATORS WHO SUE OVER ‘ARCTIC FROST’
“Leader Thune inserted that in the bill to provide real teeth to the prohibition on the Department of Justice targeting senators,” Cruz told Politico.
“The abuse of power from the Biden Justice Department is the worst single instance of politicization our country has ever seen,” Cruz added. “I think it is [former President] Joe Biden’s Watergate, and the statutory prohibition needs to have real teeth and real consequences.”
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