• House overwhelmingly approves legislation requiring Justice Department to release all Epstein investigation files
• Four-month GOP infighting ends as President Trump reverses opposition after facing mass Republican defections
• Bill heads to Senate with uncertain fate as Majority Leader John Thune remains noncommittal

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TDR) — The House voted 427-1 Tuesday to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act, compelling the Justice Department to release all investigative files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, ending months of internal Republican turmoil over the politically explosive issue.

Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana cast the lone opposing vote as the bipartisan legislation cleared the chamber with overwhelming support from both parties. The measure now advances to the Senate, where its prospects remain uncertain despite mounting public pressure for transparency.

Dramatic reversal follows GOP revolt

President Donald Trump reversed his longstanding opposition to the bill over the weekend after Republican leaders warned of mass defections on the House floor. Trump had spent months attacking Republicans who supported the measure, including calling Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia a traitor for refusing to remove her name from the discharge petition that forced Tuesday’s vote.

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“We fought the president, the attorney general, the FBI director, the speaker of the House and the vice president to get this win,” said Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who co-authored the legislation with Rep. Ro Khanna of California. The bipartisan duo secured 218 signatures on their petition last week, bypassing Speaker Mike Johnson through an arcane procedural maneuver rarely successful in Congress.

Bill requires 30-day release deadline

The legislation mandates the attorney general release all unclassified Justice Department records within 30 days of enactment. This includes investigative materials related to Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s convicted co-conspirator, along with flight logs, travel records, and names of individuals referenced in the investigation.

The bill contains limited exemptions for personally identifiable information of victims and materials that would jeopardize active federal investigations. However, it explicitly prohibits withholding information based on “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity” to any government official or public figure.

Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona provided the decisive 218th signature last week immediately after being sworn into office, launching the legislative process that culminated in Tuesday’s vote. Johnson had delayed Grijalva’s swearing-in for seven weeks during a government shutdown, leading Democrats to accuse him of attempting to prevent the petition from reaching its signature threshold.

Survivors demand accountability

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More than a dozen Epstein survivors attended Tuesday’s proceedings, watching from the House gallery as lawmakers debated the measure. At a morning press conference, survivors delivered emotional testimony urging senators to quickly advance the bill.

“You had Jeffrey Epstein, who literally set up an island of rape and you had rich and powerful men, some of the richest people in the world, who thought that they could hang out with bankers, buy off politicians and abuse and rape America’s girls with no consequence,” Khanna told reporters outside the U.S. Capitol. “Because survivors spoke up, because of their courage, the truth is finally going to come out.”

“I was called a traitor by a man that I fought six years for, and I gave him my loyalty for free,” Greene said during the press conference. “He called me a traitor for standing with these women and refusing to take my name off the discharge petition.”

Senate fate remains uncertain

The bill’s passage shifts political pressure to Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, who has not committed to holding a vote. Thune previously argued the Justice Department had already released thousands of pages of Epstein-related documents and questioned whether additional disclosure was necessary.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pledged to immediately move for a vote once the House bill arrives, warning he would “stop” Thune if Republicans attempt to bury the legislation. If the Senate amends the bill, it would return to the House for another vote before reaching Trump’s desk.

Johnson told reporters Tuesday he spoke with Thune about potential Senate amendments to strengthen protections for victims, expressing confidence the upper chamber would address what he called “serious deficiencies” in the House version.

Trump told reporters Monday he would sign the legislation if it passes Congress, though he also downplayed the issue as distracting from Republican priorities. The president does not need congressional action to order the Justice Department to release the files but has not indicated plans to do so unilaterally.

What should Congress prioritize: transparency or protection of individuals potentially named in sensitive documents?

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