Rep. Elise Stefanik leaves a House Republican Conference meeting with President Donald Trump on the budget reconciliation bill in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, May 20, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
The provision was spearheaded by House GOP Leadership Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who told Fox News Digital on Monday that it was "a win that I am proud to deliver for transparency and accountability and against the illegal weaponization of the deep state."
"I am the only remaining House Republican who served on the House Intelligence Committee during the dark Schiff impeachment era," Stefanik said.
"Congress owes the American people long overdue accountability after the unprecedented illegal weaponization of our federal government, whether it was the illegal Crossfire Hurricane targeting of President Trump in 2016 or more recently the sweeping Operation Arctic Frost."
The measure is also backed by House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. A Jordan spokesman told Fox News Digital that the conservative leader has "always been 100% supportive of this provision."
Its inclusion came after some fireworks between Stefanik and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., last week.
Stefanik had publicly accused the speaker of kowtowing to Democrats and allowing that provision to be removed. Johnson said he was blindsided by Stefanik's anger and was unaware of her concerns when she had made them public.
Then-Special Counsel Jack Smith delivers remarks on an unsealed indictment against former President Donald Trump in Washington, Aug. 1, 2023. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
"If it is enacted into law, the executive branch could argue that this is an intrusion on executive power," he said. "But it's very tough, because there are no crimes unless the Congress makes something a crime. So Congress really ultimately has control over what is and is not investigated."
"As far as constitutional arguments, it's not easy for me to think of one that would derail this statute. That doesn't mean the statute is a good idea."
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"If people are breaking the law, then they should be investigated. And if the investigation reveals that their campaign, for example, is being funded by foreign governments, then that ought to be stopped. And this is gonna make it harder for that to happen," he said.
But conservatives in Congress argue that the provision is critical.
"We support that 110%. I hope it stays in the NDAA in light of what we've seen in the last 10 years, particularly what the weaponized Justice Department did to President Trump," Jordan told FOX Business host Maria Bartiromo last week. "This is definitely needed. I totally support what Elise is trying to get done."
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
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