Congress Near‑Unanimously Orders Release of Jeffrey Epstein Files; Bill Heads to Trump's Desk

Both chambers of Congress on Tuesday moved overwhelmingly to compel the Justice Department to disclose its investigative files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, overcoming months of resistance from President Donald Trump and some Republican allies. The bipartisan measure now goes to the White House, where the president has indicated he will sign it into law.

How it passed

The House approved the measure, known as the Epstein Files Transparency Act, by a vote of 427–1. Louisiana Republican Rep. Clay Higgins cast the lone dissenting vote, arguing the bill would expose and harm innocent people, including witnesses, alibi providers and family members. Higgins said in a lengthy post on X that the bill “abandons 250 years of criminal justice procedure in America.”

Hours later the Senate cleared the bill by unanimous consent — a procedure that allows legislation to proceed to the president’s desk without a formal recorded vote if no senator objects on the floor. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York filed the unanimous consent motion after the bill arrived from the House.

“This will go down as one of the most damaging moments of Donald Trump’s presidency,” Schumer said, accusing the president of provoking a rebellion among his own supporters by resisting disclosure.

What the bill requires

Introduced in July by Rep. Ro Khanna (D‑Calif.) with Cosponsor Rep. Thomas Massie (R‑Ky.), the bill would require the Justice Department to publish — in a searchable, downloadable format — all unclassified records, documents, communications and investigative materials related to Epstein within 30 days of enactment. The text allows the DOJ to withhold or redact certain information, including victims’ personal data and material that would jeopardize an active federal investigation, leaving the final scope and timing uncertain.

Political fallout and reactions

House Speaker Mike Johnson, who initially tried to block the bill from reaching the floor and urged the Senate to amend it, said he was "deeply disappointed" the upper chamber passed it without changes and voiced concern for victims’ protections. By the next day, however, Johnson said he expected the president to sign the bill without delay.

President Trump, who had resisted disclosure for months, reversed course shortly before the vote and urged House Republicans to support the bill, saying “we have nothing to hide.” He later told reporters he would sign it if it reached his desk.

The vote followed significant pressure from survivors of Epstein’s abuse and a coalition of bipartisan lawmakers. Several survivors watched the House vote from the gallery, and members of the chamber cheered when the bill passed.

Background and outstanding questions

Court and investigative records around Epstein have long attracted conspiracy theories alleging a hidden “client list” and questions about his August 2019 death in jail. In July, the DOJ and FBI issued a two‑page memo concluding Epstein committed suicide and finding no evidence of a client list, a determination that angered some advocates and supporters who demanded broader disclosure.

Earlier this month the president asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate several Democrats referenced in Epstein’s emails; Bondi appointed a special prosecutor. Critics note the president could have ordered broad release without congressional action but chose instead to sign the bipartisan bill now headed to his desk.

What remains unclear is how much material the DOJ will ultimately publish within the 30‑day window and how extensively it will redact content to protect victims and active investigations. The measure marks a major win for transparency advocates and survivors while prompting continued debate over privacy and prosecutorial procedure.

Next steps: The bill heads to the White House for the president’s signature. If signed, the DOJ will have 30 days to publish the unclassified materials subject to permitted redactions.