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The House of Representatives voted 427-1 on Tuesday to compel the Justice Department to release all files from its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking crimes. The Senate immediately followed, passing the measure by unanimous consent.
The bipartisan effort was led by Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, and Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, who used a discharge petition to force the vote against GOP leadership’s wishes.
President Trump initially opposed the effort but reversed his position over the weekend, giving Republicans permission to support the bill. House Speaker Mike Johnson had resisted the discharge petition for months, preferring to let a House Oversight Committee investigation take precedence. Johnson voted for the bill despite concerns about its “haphazard” drafting and inadequate protections for victims and individuals who may be named but not implicated. Senate Majority Leader John Thune declined to amend the measure, noting the overwhelming House support and Trump’s commitment to sign it.
Several of Epstein’s survivors attended a press conference before the vote, advocating for full transparency to hold accountable everyone involved in the sex trafficking scheme or its cover-up. Annie Farmer, whose sister also suffered abuse and reported Epstein to the FBI in 1996, called the case “institutional betrayal,” emphasizing that inadequate investigation allowed more victims to be harmed.
Only Rep. Clay Higgins, a Louisiana Republican, voted against the measure. While most House Democrats signed the discharge petition, only four Republicans initially joined them: Massie, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, and Nancy Mace. Some Republicans who ultimately voted yes still expressed concerns about insufficient legal safeguards.
The House Oversight Committee had already subpoenaed the Justice Department and Epstein’s estate, releasing tens of thousands of documents in recent months. However, many Justice Department documents were previously public, while the estate provided more revealing materials.
Democrats have suggested the files could implicate Trump, who has denied wrongdoing. Massie believes Trump is protecting friends and donors rather than hiding personal culpability. Trump has characterized the release effort as a Democratic “hoax” meant to distract from Republican accomplishments.
The controversy created divisions within Republican ranks. Trump withdrew his endorsement of Greene, once a close ally, calling her a “traitor” for supporting the victims. Greene described the fight as having “ripped MAGA apart.”
Victims expressed cautious optimism about the bill’s passage but remain skeptical. The Justice Department has opened investigations into Epstein’s ties with prominent Democrats, which some fear could be used to justify withholding documents from ongoing investigations.
Read more: Bill to force release of Epstein files sails through Congress, heads to Trump’s desk
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