A little-noticed provision in the Senate’s latest government funding bill has sparked renewed Republican scrutiny over surveillance practices used in Biden-era Jan. 6 investigations. A routine effort to avert a government shutdown erupted into a dispute after House Republicans discovered language granting legal protections exclusively to senators.
The measure allows any senator targeted in former special counsel Jack Smith’s “Arctic Frost” probe to sue the federal government if they were surveilled without notice—potentially awarding eight GOP senators up to $500,000 each. House Republicans said they were blindsided.
Speaker Mike Johnson recalled the House from recess, calling the provision a last-minute addition that created an unacceptable imbalance by offering no similar remedy for House members. Outrage spread online, with several House Republicans accusing Senate colleagues of self-serving behavior. Still, the House advanced the bill to prevent a shutdown. The clash highlights growing GOP tensions and raises broader questions about fairness and accountability amid ongoing Jan. 6-related inquiries.
