Washington, DC [US], November 18 (ANI): The US House of Representatives is set to vote on Tuesday on a bipartisan bill that would require the Department of Justice to release all case files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, CNN reported. The legislation, which has support from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, aims to ensure full transparency for the public and justice for Epstein’s survivors.
Republican Representatives Thomas Massie and Marjorie Taylor Greene held a press conference earlier on Capitol Hill, urging colleagues to back the bill, CNN reported. Several survivors of Epstein’s abuse shared their stories during the briefing, emphasizing the importance of disclosing the files.
While the bill is expected to pass in the House, its path forward in the Senate remains uncertain, according to CNN. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has not yet committed to bringing the measure for a vote, though Democratic Senator Mark Kelly expressed optimism that Senate Republicans would allow it to proceed.
House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed he would support the bill, despite voicing concerns about its wording. He noted that the legislation would likely undergo revisions in the Senate.
“I called my counterpart in the Senate, Leader Thune, and I talked him through this with him and shared our deep concerns and of course they share those concerns as well. And so I’m very confident that when this moves forward in the process, if and when it is processed in the Senate — which it’s no certainty that that will be — that they will take the time methodically to do what we’ve not been allowed to do in the House, to amend this discharge petition and to make sure that these protections are there,” Johnson said, as quoted by CNN.
US President Donald Trump has also voiced his support for the bill, urging House Republicans to pass it. In a rare move, Trump publicly called on Congress to advance the measure and pledged to sign it into law if it reaches his desk, CNN reported.
However, Democratic Representative Robert Garcia criticized the Trump administration for not releasing the files earlier, noting that the president has the authority to do so without congressional action.
“I want to remind the president as well that he has the power to release the files today. He has the power to release the files without a vote,” Garcia said at the press conference, as quoted by CNN.
As the Epstein case continues to draw national attention, the House vote comes at a moment when the country remains divided between calls for transparency and broader political pressures.
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