House and Senate Vote to Force Justice Department Release of Epstein Files

Congress delivered a rare display of bipartisan unity Tuesday, passing legislation that will compel the Justice Department to release its records related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The facts are straightforward: the House voted 427-1, with only Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana voting against the measure. The Senate followed hours later with unanimous consent. This is transparency in action.

The bill, co-authored by Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna, represents something increasingly uncommon in Washington: lawmakers from opposite parties working together on legislation that serves the public interest rather than partisan positioning. The measure secured bipartisan support last week and proceeded directly to the House floor, bypassing the usual committee process that often buries inconvenient legislation.

President Trump reversed his initial position over the weekend and urged Republicans to support the bill. He has pledged to sign it into law. Whatever political calculations preceded that reversal, the result is the correct one. The American people deserve to know the full extent of Epstein’s criminal network and any potential failures by federal authorities to stop him sooner.

The legislation requires the attorney general to release all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials related to Epstein and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell within 30 days of enactment. This includes flight logs, travel records, information about connected individuals and entities, and internal Justice Department communications. The format must be searchable and downloadable, ensuring genuine accessibility rather than bureaucratic obstruction.

Reasonable protections exist within the bill. The attorney general may withhold or redact information that identifies victims or would jeopardize active federal investigations. These are sensible exceptions that balance transparency with legitimate law enforcement and privacy concerns.

Epstein survivors attended the House vote, sitting in the gallery as the overwhelming tally was announced. Their presence serves as a reminder that this legislation is not abstract political theater. Real victims suffered horrific abuse while Epstein operated his criminal enterprise for years, apparently with connections to powerful individuals across multiple sectors of American society.

The vigil held outside the Capitol Tuesday night honored Virginia Giuffre, an Epstein survivor and advocate who died by suicide in April at age 41. Survivor Annie Farmer spoke emotionally about Giuffre’s vision and courage. Her posthumously published memoir, “Nobody’s Girl,” stands as testimony to the lasting damage inflicted by Epstein’s crimes.

The question that demands answering is simple: what took so long? Epstein’s activities were the subject of rumors and allegations for decades. He received an infamously lenient plea deal in 2008 that allowed him to avoid serious federal charges. He was not arrested again until 2019, dying in federal custody under circumstances that remain disputed.

This legislation represents accountability, albeit delayed. The Justice Department now has 30 days to comply once Trump signs the bill. No more excuses, no more delays, no more protection for those who may have enabled or ignored Epstein’s crimes. The American people will finally see what their government knew, when it knew it, and what actions were or were not taken.

The near-unanimous votes in both chambers demonstrate that transparency regarding Epstein transcends partisan politics. When 427 House members and the entire Senate agree on something, it reflects a rare consensus that the status quo is unacceptable. The survivors who fought for this legislation deserve credit for their persistence. So do Massie and Khanna for pushing this bill forward despite initial resistance from leadership.

Now comes the critical part: actual release of the documents, unredacted where possible, and a full accounting of how Epstein operated for so long with apparent impunity. Sunlight remains the best disinfectant, and these records have remained in darkness for far too long.

Related: GOP Lawmakers Cautiously Back Epstein Files Bill After Trump Endorsement