U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer and Jay Rockefeller are seeking Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission investigations into whether alleged phone hacking by News Corp.’s U.K. newspapers broke U.S. laws.

The senators made their request in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder and SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro, they said today in an e-mailed statement.

“The reported allegations against News Corporation are very serious, indicate a pattern of illegal activity, and involve thousands of potential victims,” the senators wrote, according to the statement. “It is important to ensure that no United States laws were broken and no United States citizens were victimized.”