The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to pass a bill directing the Department of Justice to release the files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The vote was 427-1, with Rep. Clay Higgins (RLa.) casting the lone “no” vote.
This past weekend, after it became clear that many Republicans would vote for the measure, President Trump reversed himself to say on Truth Social that he supported it.
While Speaker Mike Johnson voted for the measure to show support for “maximum transparency,” he expressed reservations about the bill’s handling of sensitive information about the victims and urged the senate to amend the legislation.
Tuesday morning, survivors of Epstein gathered outside the Capitol to call for the files’ release and cheered after the vote closed.
The vote came after Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Kanna led a discharge petition to circumvent opposition from GOP leadership and force a vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Three other Republicans joined Massie in signing the petition including Lauren Boebert, Nancy Mace and Marjorie Taylor Greene.
The bill directs the attorney general to release unclassified records and documents in the possession of the Department of Justice related to Epstein; his former associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of trafficking young girls to him; and other individuals named or referenced in connection to Epstein’s criminal activities, among other provisions.
It permits records to be withheld that contain personally identifiable information about victims or depicts or contain child sexual abuse materials, among other permitted redactions.
Rep. Stephanie Bice, Republican from Oklahoma, said the bill states that the Attorney General ‘may’ redact personal identifiable information ‘May’ allows an opportunity for personal identifiable information to be released inadvertently, and ‘Shall’ means it’s definitive and has to be done. ‘May’ means it’s up for debate.”
Massie said some say it doesn’t protect the victims, but noted, “If that’s so, why were dozens of victims with us today at a press conference urging this body to pass this legislation? It’s because this legislation specifically protects victims.”
He warned the Senate at the press conference Tuesday morning: “Do not muck it up.”
Before being elected for his second term, Trump said he would release the Epstein files but changed his tune after the election. A July statement from the Department of Justice and FBI saying that the agencies would not release any more information about Epstein was met with mass outrage, including from Trump’s own supporters.