In a 427-1 Vote, The Bill Now Heads To The Senate
The House overwhelmingly approved a bill Tuesday compelling the Justice Department to publicly release its files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Marking a dramatic turn in a months-long political fight that President Donald Trump and Republican leadership had resisted.
What began as a longshot discharge petition in July, a procedural move to bypass Speaker Mike Johnson’s control over the House floor, surged in support as public pressure intensified. Despite Trump urging his base to dismiss the issue as a “hoax,” momentum for transparency grew to the point that both Trump and Johnson reversed course. Trump now says he will sign the bill if it clears the Senate.
The final vote, 427–1, with the sole no vote coming from Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana, a Trump loyalist who chairs a subcommittee that had itself initiated a subpoena for Epstein-related records.
Tuesday’s vote reflects a long-building demand for answers in a case that has spanned decades, implicated powerful global figures, and been marred by failures at every institutional level. Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, standing alongside survivors outside the Capitol, said the women “fought the most horrific fight no woman should ever face,” adding that their persistence forced a vote that even the president tried to stop.
For survivors, the bill represents a long-delayed chance at transparency.
“We are exhausted from surviving the trauma, and then surviving the political conflicts around it,” said survivor Jena-Lisa Jones. A former Trump voter, she pleaded, “I beg you Donald Trump, please stop making this political.”
Trump has spent months attempting to sidestep the issue, claiming the files would implicate more Democrats and could “detract from Republican success.” The pressure from his own base and the resurgence of survivor advocacy ultimately forced his shift.
The fight has fractured some Republican alliances. Greene publicly criticized Trump’s initial opposition, saying the clash had “ripped MAGA apart.”
Speaker Johnson, meanwhile, kept the House shuttered for nearly two months during the government shutdown and refused to swear in Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona — delaying the one signature needed to reach the 218 votes required for the discharge petition. Grijalva was sworn in only last week, allowing the effort to advance.
Despite outlining concerns that the bill could unintentionally expose victims’ information, Johnson supported the measure, acknowledging that no lawmaker wanted to be seen opposing transparency.
The House Oversight Committee has already released thousands of pages from Epstein’s estate, documenting ties to global leaders, Wall Street executives, political figures, and Trump himself. Internationally, the scandal triggered significant consequences. In the U.K., King Charles III stripped Prince Andrew of his remaining titles and removed him from his residence following mounting pressure over his ties to Epstein.
Survivors and lawmakers say the federal government has failed for years, across multiple administrations, to fully account for Epstein’s crimes and the networks that protected him.
The next step lies with the Senate, where the bill’s future remains unclear. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has avoided committing to a position, deferring to the Justice Department.
Under Trump, the DOJ released limited, mostly public materials. The bill would force a far more expansive disclosure within 30 days, prohibiting redactions made to avoid “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity” for government officials or public figures. Redactions to protect victims or ongoing investigations would still be permitted.
Johnson has urged senators to amend the bill with stronger victim protections, but its bipartisan sponsors — Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna — warned the Senate not to “muck it up,” arguing that delaying or weakening the bill would trigger public backlash similar to what forced Trump and Johnson to reverse course.
“We’ve dragged this out for four months,” Massie said. “The people raising objections are afraid of embarrassment. That’s the entire point.”
