Rep. Clay Higgins was the lone House vote against a bill directing the Justice Department to release unclassified records tied to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, warning broad disclosure could harm innocent people. The bill passed the House 427–1 and later won unanimous Senate approval after President Trump dropped his opposition. Supporters say the law includes carve-outs to protect victims, ongoing prosecutions and national security; Higgins says he will support it only if privacy safeguards are strengthened.
Why Rep. Clay Higgins Was the Lone GOP 'No' on Releasing the Epstein Files
Washington — Republican Representative Clay Higgins of Louisiana cast the only House vote against legislation that would require the Justice Department to release records tied to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
The measure passed the House 427–1 after months of delay and internal GOP debate, and later cleared the Senate by unanimous consent. The vote gained momentum after former President Trump withdrew his opposition, allowing almost all Republican members to support the bill.
"I have been a principled 'NO' on this bill from the beginning. What was wrong with the bill three months ago is still wrong today. It abandons 250 years of criminal justice procedure in America. As written, this bill reveals and injures thousands of innocent people — witnesses, people who provided alibis, family members, etc. If enacted in its current form, this type of broad reveal of criminal investigative files, released to a rabid media, will absolutely result in innocent people being hurt. Not by my vote." — Rep. Clay Higgins
Higgins' concerns echoed those of House Speaker Mike Johnson and other critics, who argued the bill's language needed clearer safeguards to prevent disclosure of information that could compromise ongoing investigations or unfairly implicate uninvolved individuals. Supporters of the bill countered that it already includes targeted exceptions designed to protect victims and sensitive material.
Higgins noted that the House Oversight Committee has already released more than 60,000 pages connected to the Epstein matter and said that effort will continue with protections for innocent Americans. He added he would support the measure if the Senate amended it to strengthen privacy protections for victims and for people named but not criminally implicated.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act requires the Justice Department to release "all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials" relating to Epstein and Maxwell within 30 days of the bill becoming law. It also directs disclosure of individuals and entities—government officials, corporate, academic or other organizations—named or referenced in connection with Epstein's criminal activities, civil settlements, immunity or plea agreements, or investigatory proceedings.
The text specifies that "No record shall be withheld, delayed, or redacted on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary."
At the same time, the law permits the attorney general to withhold or redact materials that contain personally identifiable information about victims, victims' personal and medical files, child sexual abuse material, information about ongoing criminal prosecutions, or material that could harm national security. Any redactions must be explained in notices to Congress.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated the upper chamber would act quickly after the House vote, but acknowledged some senators wanted changes. The bill ultimately passed the Senate without amendments and with unanimous support.
With the legislation approved by both chambers, the principal questions now center on how the Justice Department will implement the law's tight deadline and redaction requirements, and whether additional judicial or legislative disputes will arise over what should remain private.
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