2 U.S.C. § 6628: Treatment of electronic services provided by Sergeant at Arms

the term “agent of the Office of the SAA” includes a provider of electronic communication service or remote computing service commissioned or used through the Office of the SAA by a Senate office to provide such services to the Senate office; the term “electronic communication service” has the meaning given that term in section 2510 of title 18 ; the term “Office of the SAA” means the Office of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate; the term “provider for a Senate office” means a provider of electronic communication service or remote computing service directly commissioned or used by a Senate office to provide such services; the term “remote computing service” has the meaning given that term in section 2711 of title 18 ; the term “Senate data”, with respect to a Senate office, means any electronic mail or other electronic or data communication, other data (including metadata), or other information of the Senate office; and the term “Senate office” means a committee or office of the Senate, including a Senator, an officer of the Senate, or an employee of, intern at, or other agent of a committee or office of the Senate. A Senate office shall be deemed to retain possession of any Senate data of the Senate office, without regard to the use by the Senate office of any individual or entity described in paragraph (2) for the purposes of any function or service described in paragraph (2). Subparagraph (A) shall not be construed to limit the use by an intended recipient of any Senate data from a Senate office. The Office of the SAA, any officer, employee, or agent of the Office of the SAA, and any provider for a Senate office shall not be treated as acquiring possession, custody, or control of any Senate data by reason of its being transmitted, processed, or stored (whether temporarily or otherwise) through the use of an electronic system established, maintained, or operated, or the use of electronic services provided, in whole or in part by the Office of the SAA, the officer, employee, or agent of the Office of the SAA, or the provider for the Senate office. Notwithstanding any other provision of law or rule of civil or criminal procedure, the Office of the SAA, any officer, employee, or agent of the Office of the SAA, and any provider for a Senate office that is providing services to or used by a Senate office shall not be barred, through operation of any court order or any statutory provision, from notifying the Senate office of any legal process seeking disclosure of Senate data of the Senate office that is transmitted, processed, or stored (whether temporarily or otherwise) through the use of an electronic system established, maintained, or operated, or the use of electronic services provided, in whole or in part by the Office of the SAA, the officer, employee, or agent of the Office of the SAA, or the provider for a Senate office. Upon a motion made promptly by a Senate office or provider for a Senate office, a court of competent jurisdiction shall quash or modify any legal process directed to the provider for a Senate office if compliance with the legal process would require the disclosure of Senate data of the Senate office. The Office of the SAA, in consultation with the Senate Legal Counsel, shall provide information to each Senate office that commissions or uses a provider of electronic communication service or remote computing service to provide such services to the Senate office regarding the potential constitutional implications and the potential impact on privileges that may be asserted by the Senate office. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or supersede any applicable privilege, immunity, or other objection that may apply to the disclosure of Senate data. Except as provided in this section, any provision of law or rule of civil or criminal procedure of any State, political subdivision, or agency thereof, which is inconsistent with this section shall be deemed to be preempted and superseded. This section shall apply to fiscal year 2005 and each fiscal year thereafter. In this subsection, the terms ‘Senate data’ and ‘Senate office’ have the meanings given such terms in section 10 of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2005 [ 2 U.S.C. 6628 ], as amended by subsection (a) of this section. take effect as though included in the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2005 (division G of Public Law 108–447 ; 118 Stat. 3166 ); and any legal process seeking disclosure of Senate data of a Senate office that is filed, issued, or made on or after the date of enactment of this Act [ Dec. 27, 2020 ]; and any matter that is pending on or after the date of enactment of this Act that relates to legal process described in clause (i) that is filed, issued, or made before the date of enactment of this Act, unless the Senate data of the Senate office was disclosed in accordance with such legal process before the date of enactment of this Act.”