In a landmark decision for transparency, the United States House of Representatives has taken decisive action to uncover the truth behind one of the most notorious criminal cases in recent history.
Near-Unanimous Vote for Transparency
The US House of Representatives delivered a powerful message by passing legislation that compels the Department of Justice to release files connected to Jeffrey Epstein. The vote recorded an overwhelming majority of 427 in favor, with only a single dissenting voice.
The chamber reportedly erupted in brief applause as the voting results displayed the near-total support for the measure. Several survivors of Epstein's crimes watched the proceedings from the gallery and showed visible emotion as the bill crossed the required threshold for passage.
The Lone Dissenting Voice
Representative Clay Higgins of Louisiana stood alone in opposing the legislation. Following the vote, he took to social media platform X to explain his position, arguing that the bill in its current form could cause unintended harm.
Higgins expressed concern that the legislation "reveals and injures thousands of innocent people" by potentially exposing witnesses, family members, and individuals never implicated in any wrongdoing. He emphasized that he would support a revised version with stronger privacy protections.
House Speaker Mike Johnson echoed similar worries during his weekly briefing, noting that people who assist law enforcement might be discouraged if they believe their identities could later be disclosed through legislative action.
Sponsors Push for Swift Senate Action
Despite these concerns, the bill's primary sponsors, Representatives Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna, maintained that the measure is essential for delivering justice. They held a joint news conference outside the Capitol building hours before the vote, joined by several survivors of Epstein's crimes.
Massie delivered a clear message to the Senate: "Don't muck it up in the Senate. Don't get too cute. We're all paying attention." He indicated that senators could add protections for survivors as long as such provisions didn't block public disclosure of the documents.
The House Oversight Committee has been conducting a separate investigation that has already produced tens of thousands of pages of material from both the Justice Department and Epstein's estate. However, supporters of the new legislation argued that committee work alone lacked the necessary force to guarantee full access to all remaining files.
Uncertain Path in the Senate
Attention now shifts to the Senate, where the bill's future remains uncertain. Majority Leader John Thune has not revealed his plans for moving forward with the legislation, while Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has taken the opposite stance.
Schumer issued a strong statement vowing to act quickly once the House cleared the bill, saying he would ask the Senate to take it up immediately. He accused Republicans of spending months trying to protect Donald Trump and hide the contents of the files, adding that "Americans are tired of waiting and are demanding to see the truth."
The Justice Department had previously released a new batch of Epstein files following Attorney General Pam Bondi's review of classified documents in the case, though the highly anticipated client list was notably absent from that release.
