NEWS ALERT: House votes to repeal controversial shutdown bill measure that’s dividing GOP

November 20, 2025

From Fox News: The House of Representatives unanimously voted against a provision that allows Republican senators whose phone records were seized by former Special Counsel Jack Smith to sue the federal government.

The provision was included in the recently passed bill to end the 43-day government shutdown, which President Donald Trump signed into law last week.

Despite supporters saying the provision is necessary to give senators recourse when the executive branch oversteps its constitutional bounds and reaches into congressional communications, the last-minute inclusion of the measure outraged both Republicans and Democrats, underscoring the ever-present tensions between the House and Senate.

The repeal passed 426 to 0, with 210 Democrats and 216 Republicans in the tally.

The repeal still needs to be approved by the Senate before it is official.

The provision would allow the Republican senators whose phone records were subpoenaed and seized by former Special Counsel Jack Smith to sue the federal government for up to $500,000 each.

The provision was inserted into the bill by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) at the request of other senators, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

House Republicans said it was slipped into the bill without their approval, and at the last minute they had to either let it go through to get the federal government opened up, or take the extra time to debate it and risk extending the shutdown.

While some Republicans agreed with the concept behind the provision, they said it should not come at the expense of American taxpayers.

🚨 BREAKING: The House just voted UNANIMOUSLY to repeal the law that lets GOP senators sue the government and get $500K EACH because they were spied on by the Biden administration and Jack Smith

426-0.

The Senate would still need to pass this. pic.twitter.com/DG4XKM4glb

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 20, 2025

Earlier on Wednesday, Rep. John Rose (R-Tenn.) wrote, “Today, the House will vote on striking a provision that guarantees these Senators $500,000 per violation if the DOJ settles their Arctic Frost lawsuit.

“A reminder that the American people didn’t spy on these ten senators, Biden’s DOJ did. And I’m not about to let Tennesseans, or taxpayers across the country, foot the bill for it.”

Today, the House will vote on striking a provision that guarantees these Senators $500,000 per violation if the DOJ settles their Arctic Frost lawsuit.

A reminder that the American people didn’t spy on these ten senators, Biden’s DOJ did. And I’m not about to let Tennesseans,… pic.twitter.com/LEynIabrkx

— Congressman John Rose (@RepJohnRose) November 19, 2025

Last week, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) wrote, “These senators slipped in a provision to reopen the government that guarantees them $500k if DOJ settles their Arctic Frost lawsuit. And we’re supposed to be okay with that? What about J6? This is outrageous. Really disappointed to see some of the names on this list. You can’t self-deal like this—especially not by weaponizing a government shutdown. Absolutely ridiculous, @LeaderJohnThune.”

These senators slipped in a provision to reopen the government that guarantees them $500k if DOJ settles their Arctic Frost lawsuit. And we’re supposed to be okay with that? What about J6? This is outrageous. Really disappointed to see some of the names on this list. You can’t… pic.twitter.com/Ig4nInjfKR

— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) November 12, 2025