Speaker Mike Johnson abruptly moved to fast-track a House vote compelling the Justice Department to release all Jeffrey Epstein case files after GOP leaders decided they could not block the effort. The bipartisan bill from Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna has drawn support from across the GOP and aims for a veto-proof majority. Johnson and the White House had sought delay, but the Oversight Committee’s document releases and mounting momentum prompted the expedited schedule. If the measure passes the House, its fate in the Senate is uncertain.
Johnson Expedites House Vote to Release Epstein Files as GOP Braces for Mass Defections
Speaker Mike Johnson abruptly moved to fast-track a House vote compelling the Justice Department to release all Jeffrey Epstein case files after GOP leaders decided they could not block the effort. The bipartisan bill from Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna has drawn support from across the GOP and aims for a veto-proof majority. Johnson and the White House had sought delay, but the Oversight Committee’s document releases and mounting momentum prompted the expedited schedule. If the measure passes the House, its fate in the Senate is uncertain.
07:41 AM, 11/14/2025Politics
Speaker Johnson fast-tracks bipartisan effort to unseal Epstein records
House Speaker Mike Johnson abruptly moved to fast-track a House vote to compel the Justice Department to release all files related to the Jeffrey Epstein case after Republican leaders concluded the effort could not be blocked.
The decision marked a change in tactics for Johnson and the White House, which sources say had previously sought to delay the process. The bill is the product of a bipartisan push led by GOP Rep. Thomas Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, and backers are pressing for a veto-proof majority in the House.
“No point in waiting,” a House GOP leadership aide said, reflecting the conference's shift toward moving the measure to a floor vote quickly.
Supporters say lawmakers from across the Republican conference are prepared to break with President Donald Trump and vote for the measure, making it difficult for party leaders to forestall defections. Massie said he hopes a two-thirds House vote would put pressure on the Senate and intensify the political stakes for the president; an override would require roughly 290 votes if all members are present.
A senior White House official told reporters that President Trump was notified in advance that Johnson intended to accelerate the timing of the vote and that the two men discussed the move. Still, House Republican leaders weighed whether it was better to move the bill to the Senate rather than try to block it in the House.
Johnson had previously cut the August session short partly to avoid an Epstein-related vote. When lawmakers returned in September, top Republicans and White House allies worked behind the scenes to dissuade members from supporting the release effort. There was also last-minute outreach to some Republican members, including efforts to engage Rep. Lauren Boebert, one of the few GOP signees on the petition demanding DOJ disclosure.
The decision to accelerate the floor vote followed the House Oversight Committee’s release of thousands of Epstein-related documents, including new emails. Johnson has called some of the push a “moot point” in light of the committee’s disclosures, but Republican sources said momentum on the floor made delay impractical.
If the Massie–Khanna bill clears the House, its fate in the Senate remains uncertain. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has suggested the chamber may not need to act, citing prior Justice Department releases tied to the case.
What to watch next: the House floor vote timing, the final vote tally (and whether it approaches a veto-proof margin), and any movement in the Senate. A successful override push would require bipartisan support well beyond a simple majority.