Contact Congress about S. 4594: Subpoena Abuse Prevention Act

Federal agencies would have to be more specific when they subpoena customer records from phone, app, and internet providers. The bill also adds protections for speech, religion, press, protest, and other constitutional rights. Agencies would have to report yearly how often they use these subpoena powers.

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Subpoena Abuse Prevention Act is a Senate bill in committee. The latest recorded action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Latest action on S. 4594: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Who this affects: This bill mainly affects people whose phone, text, app, or internet account records could be sought by the government. It also affects service providers that receive subpoenas and federal agencies that use them in investigations.

Why this matters: Phone and internet records can reveal who people contact, what services they use, and patterns in their private lives. This bill would make broad subpoena requests harder and add guardrails when protected rights are involved. It could give customers, providers, courts, and the public more information about how these subpoena powers are used. It could also make some investigations slower or require agencies to use other legal tools.

Key provisions in S. 4594

• Subpoenas for these customer records would have to name the target. They could identify the customer or subscriber by name, address, temporary network address, or account ID such as a username.
• One type of record could no longer be obtained with a simple subpoena. This would make rules for phone call and text records more consistent with rules for app-based calls and texts.
• Agencies could not use these subpoenas to target protected rights. That includes investigating, monitoring, collecting information about, or retaliating against speech, religion, press, assembly, or petitioning the government.
• A subpoena for covered records would be invalid without a sworn statement. The official must certify, under penalty of perjury, that the request is lawful and not aimed at protected rights.
• Courts could not block customer notice unless the subpoena includes that sworn statement. This applies to nondisclosure orders, which are court orders telling a provider not to notify the customer.

How Modern Action helps you take action on S. 4594

You do not have to start with a blank letter. Modern Action turns the bill, your position, and the relevant congressional context into a message you can edit and send. The goal is to make contacting Congress clear, specific, and useful without forcing you to parse bill text or figure out the right office on your own.

Questions people ask about S. 4594

What is S. 4594?

Federal agencies would have to be more specific when they subpoena customer records from phone, app, and internet providers. The bill also adds protections for speech, religion, press, protest, and other constitutional rights. Agencies would have to report yearly how often they use these subpoena powers.

How do I support or oppose S. 4594?

Choose support, oppose, or ask for changes on Modern Action. The action flow drafts the message for you and keeps the wording tied to this bill.

Who should I contact about S. 4594?

Modern Action uses your location to route the action to the congressional offices relevant to the bill and your representation.

Can Modern Action explain S. 4594 before I act?

Yes. Modern Action gives you a plain-English summary, current status, and action context before you send anything.