House Passes Epstein Files Transparency Act

The House of Representatives passed the “Epstein Files Transparency Act,” authored by Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, in a 427-1 vote Tuesday.

The bill to release the Jeffrey Epstein files cleared a major hurdle on Nov. 12 after its discharge petition surpassed the critical 218 signature threshold, allowing it to move forward to a successful House floor vote. The final signature came from Democratic Arizona Rep. Adelita Grijalva, who added her name shortly after being sworn in, ensuring the measure would advance to a floor vote. (RELATED: Petition To Release Epstein Files Crosses Key Congressional Threshold)

With the House vote now complete, the bill will soon move to the Senate. The bill recently received President Donald Trump’s endorsement, and it has gained bipartisan support.

The House’s passage of the bill also marks a notable shift from Trump. After months of criticizing Massie’s proposal, Trump abruptly reversed course on Sunday and urged House Republicans to support the release of records related to Epstein. (RELATED: Massie Picks Another Fight With Trump, This Time Over Epstein)

“As I said on Friday night aboard Air Force One to the Fake News Media, House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party, including our recent Victory on the Democrat ‘Shutdown,’” Trump said Monday in a Truth Social post.

Tomorrow Congress will finally vote to release the Epstein files.

This should have never been a fight.

Raping teenage girls, trafficking victims, and protecting powerful people is not a hoax.

I unapologetically and proudly stand with these women.

pic.twitter.com/JDd8Ekrjkt

— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) November 18, 2025

The sole dissenter was Republican Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins, who argued the bill “abandons 250 years of criminal justice procedure in America” and would “reveal and injure thousands of innocent people — witnesses, people who provided alibis, family members.”

He warned that releasing investigative files to “a rabid media” would result in innocent people being harmed, adding that he would support the legislation if the Senate amends it to “properly address the privacy of victims and other Americans, who are named but not criminally implicated.”

On Friday, Trump said he will direct the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate Epstein’s ties to former President Bill Clinton and several major financial institutions. This comes after the president accused Democrats of weaponizing newly released emails from the Epstein estate, calling the messages a politically motivated “hoax.” (RELATED: Trump Will Order DOJ To Investigate Epstein’s Links To Bill Clinton, Major Banks)

Under Massie’s bill, Attorney General (AG) Pam Bondi would have 30 days after the law takes effect to make all unclassified Department of Justice (DOJ) records—including those from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices — publicly accessible in a searchable, downloadable format.

The bill allows Bondi to withhold or redact material involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM), physical abuse, or death; personal information of alleged victims; and any information that could compromise ongoing investigations, prosecutions, national security, or foreign policy.

We are just hours away from the vote to RELEASE the Epstein files.

The victims must come first. President Trump stands with us in the fight for JUSTICE.

Real men protect women. Thank you, Mr. President. ❤️🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ad7MXrpTzH

— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) November 18, 2025

Massie and Democratic California Rep. Ro Khanna introduced the discharge resolution on July 15. If passed, it would require the release of all unclassified Epstein records to the House Rules Committee, according to the House Clerk’s website.

Of the 218 signatures on the petition, only four came from Republicans — Massie, Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace and Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. In contrast, 214 House Democrats signed on. The effort had stalled in recent weeks due to the lack of broader GOP support.