The U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate moved swiftly on Tuesday to force the Justice Department to make public its files related to financier Jeffrey Epstein, passing the Epstein Files Transparency Act by near-unanimous margins and sending the measure to President Donald Trump’s desk. The House approved the bill 427–1, and the Senate cleared it by unanimous consent.
The legislation introduced by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and carried through the House after a successful discharge petition spearheaded by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) would require the Department of Justice to release all records and communications in its possession about Epstein, declassifying material if necessary, and to post them in a searchable, downloadable format within 30 days of enactment. It also directs the Justice Department to provide Congress with an unredacted list of government officials and politically exposed persons named in the files.
The vote capped a months-long push by survivors and congressional backers who argued the public has a right to see the full record of federal investigations into Epstein and the circumstances around his prosecution and death. Several accusers attended a news conference on Capitol Hill and applauded members after the measure passed; supporters said the move would finally allow investigators, journalists and the public to examine leads and determine whether any political interference occurred.
President Trump, who had earlier opposed the measure, indicated after the votes that he would sign it once it reached the White House. A senior White House official and multiple outlets reported the administration’s changed posture, saying Trump told aides he would not block the bill and that he had “nothing to hide.”
Not everyone in Congress was satisfied. Representative Clay Higgins (R-La.) cast the lone House “no” vote, saying he worried that the wholesale release of names and unredacted material could harm innocent people, witnesses and family members and might run afoul of privacy and normal criminal-justice protections. House Republican leadership also urged caution, with some members asking for assurances that victim privacy would be protected. Proponents countered that the bill includes protections for victims and that transparency is necessary.
If signed, the law will mark a significant windfall for journalists, civil-society organizations and lawyers seeking a fuller public accounting of the Epstein investigation and related contacts. The files could include internal DOJ records, FBI documents and communications between federal officials and outside actors — material that advocates say may answer lingering questions about how the case was handled and whether additional investigations are warranted.
What happens next
With the House and Senate votes complete, the bill will be transmitted to the White House for the president’s signature. If the president signs the act, the Justice Department will have the statutory deadline (reported as 30 days in coverage of the bill) to make the records public and supply unredacted lists to congressional judiciary committees. If the president were to veto the measure, Congress could attempt an override, though supporters have emphasized they expect the administration to sign.
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