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Subpoena Abuse Prevention Act

USA119th CongressS-4594| Senate 
| Updated: 5/20/2026
Ron Wyden

Ron Wyden

Democratic Senator

Oregon

Cosponsors (1)
Cynthia M. Lummis (Republican)

Judiciary Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
The "Subpoena Abuse Prevention Act" aims to prevent the abuse of administrative subpoenas by amending section 2703 of title 18, United States Code. It ensures consistent protections for phone and app-based communication records and specifically prohibits the use of subpoenas for bulk collection of subscriber information, requiring governmental entities to identify specific individuals. A key provision of the bill prohibits governmental entities from using subpoenas to investigate or retaliate against individuals engaged in constitutionally protected activities , such as free speech or religion. To enforce this, governmental entities must provide a certification under penalty of perjury , attesting that the subpoena serves a legitimate and lawful purpose, not targeting protected activities, otherwise the subpoena is deemed invalid. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that service providers may notify customers of a subpoena and seek legal advice, unless a specific nondisclosure order is obtained. It also mandates that federal governmental entities annually publicly report the number of administrative subpoenas issued and the number of accounts for which information was received, disaggregated by the statutory authority under which they were issued.
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Timeline
May 20, 2026
Introduced in Senate
May 20, 2026
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • May 20, 2026
    Introduced in Senate


  • May 20, 2026
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Subpoena Abuse Prevention Act

USA119th CongressS-4594| Senate 
| Updated: 5/20/2026
The "Subpoena Abuse Prevention Act" aims to prevent the abuse of administrative subpoenas by amending section 2703 of title 18, United States Code. It ensures consistent protections for phone and app-based communication records and specifically prohibits the use of subpoenas for bulk collection of subscriber information, requiring governmental entities to identify specific individuals. A key provision of the bill prohibits governmental entities from using subpoenas to investigate or retaliate against individuals engaged in constitutionally protected activities , such as free speech or religion. To enforce this, governmental entities must provide a certification under penalty of perjury , attesting that the subpoena serves a legitimate and lawful purpose, not targeting protected activities, otherwise the subpoena is deemed invalid. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that service providers may notify customers of a subpoena and seek legal advice, unless a specific nondisclosure order is obtained. It also mandates that federal governmental entities annually publicly report the number of administrative subpoenas issued and the number of accounts for which information was received, disaggregated by the statutory authority under which they were issued.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
May 20, 2026
Introduced in Senate
May 20, 2026
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • May 20, 2026
    Introduced in Senate


  • May 20, 2026
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Ron Wyden

Ron Wyden

Democratic Senator

Oregon

Cosponsors (1)
Cynthia M. Lummis (Republican)

Judiciary Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted