Survivors and Bipartisan Lawmakers Demand Release of Epstein Files Ahead of House Vote

More than a dozen women who say they were abused by Jeffrey Epstein joined Democrats and Republicans outside the Capitol to press Congress to release the remaining government records tied to the investigation, as the House prepared to vote on the measure.

Rep. Ro Khanna said the moment reflected years of survivors forcing accountability into the open. He called the scandal among the most horrific examples of institutional corruption in recent memory and said the vote would help reveal the truth.

Survivors urge transparency over politics

At a news conference, survivors asked lawmakers to put partisanship aside and push for full disclosure. Haley Robson urged leaders to set political agendas and party affiliations to the side. Annie Farmer called the case a matter of institutional betrayal rather than isolated misconduct, and Liz Stein said the files represent evidence of crime, not party loyalty.

“In a divided nation, this is one demand we all share,” said Lisa Phillips.

Jena-Lisa Jones described the White House's shifting posture as emotionally distressing and implored the president to stop politicizing the issue. She said she had voted for the president and urged him to show leadership.

Politics, procedure and a changing presidential stance

The vote reached the House after a procedural move in which four Republicans joined all House Democrats to sign a petition forcing a vote and bypassing House GOP leadership. President Trump initially criticized the release of the files and castigated Republicans who pushed for disclosure, but reversed course as passage appeared likely and publicly urged House Republicans to approve release, saying the government had nothing to hide.

Interest in making the records public intensified after a Justice Department internal review released in July reported it found no "client list" or proof Epstein had blackmailed prominent figures. That finding prompted renewed calls for transparency from survivors and lawmakers who want the full files released for independent review.

Calls for institutional accountability

Khanna urged scrutiny beyond individuals, saying institutions should reconsider honors and affiliations tied to those implicated in Epstein-related allegations: no named buildings or scholarships, and no continued celebration of people who may have benefited from or enabled abuse. He credited survivors for bringing the issue out of the shadows after decades of insufficient action.

Rep. Thomas Massie thanked the survivors and said their courage offers hope to other victims weighing whether to come forward. "These survivors have stepped forth, taking that same risk," he said, adding that the House vote was a step toward justice.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene praised the women for confronting powerful figures and noted she had faced criticism for supporting the discharge petition. She warned that the true fight may come after a House vote, when the Justice Department will decide whether to release the files or keep them tied up in investigations.

What comes next

If the House approves the measure, it would move to the Senate, where Republican leaders had not committed to bringing it to a floor vote. Lawmakers pushing disclosure warned that the Justice Department could open or expand investigations in ways that delay release, but they argued such probes could not indefinitely conceal everything contained in the files.

The outcome will hinge on whether the Senate advances the bill and whether the Justice Department honors congressional direction to disclose records or uses ongoing inquiries to limit transparency.