~ The Anti-Cash Grab Act repeals last-minute provision allowing Republican senators to collect $500,000 per lawfully subpoenaed phone record ~
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and 24 colleagues in introducing the Anti-Cash Grab Act, legislation that will repeal a provision—quietly added into the government funding bill by U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) at the last minute—that allows senators to collect $500,000 for every phone record lawfully obtained.
“While Democrats were fighting for affordable health care during the government shutdown, not only did Senate Republicans refuse to budge on health care subsidies, they also snuck in a taxpayer funded payout for themselves in the government funding bill,” said Senator Hirono. “Americans deserve honest lawmakers who are going to fight for them, not lawmakers who would attempt to sue the government for hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money for themselves while simultaneously enabling the suffering of working families. I am proud to introduce this legislation to repeal this filthy provision.”
Senate Republicans’ provisions will specifically benefit eight Republican Senators, each of whom stands to collect at least $1 million in taxpayer money through this provision.
In addition to Senators Hirono, Heinrich, and Kelly, the legislation is cosponsored by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
The full text of the legislation is available here.
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