House Republican leaders are preparing for a vote Tuesday on a bill that would require the Justice Department to release all files related to Jeffrey Epstein, sources say.
The effort comes after Democrats and four Republicans forced a petition to the floor last week, bypassing GOP leadership to demand transparency. Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed the vote will take place this week.
The legislation, called the Epstein Files Transparency Act, was first introduced in July by Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California and Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. The bill emerged as pressure grew on the Justice Department to make more Epstein-related documents public.
The proposed law would require disclosure of all records concerning investigations into Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking in 2021. It mandates the release of flight logs, travel records, names of individuals and entities mentioned in any case, and internal Justice Department communications. The files must be released within 30 days if the legislation passes.
The bill also calls for documents detailing the destruction, deletion, alteration, misplacement, or concealment of materials related to Epstein and his associates. This includes records connected to Epstein’s 2019 death by suicide while in a Manhattan correctional facility awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
“I believe we’re going to get 40, 50 Republicans voting with us on the release,” Khanna said Wednesday. “If we get that kind of overwhelming vote, it will push the Senate and increase pressure on the Justice Department to release the files.”
It remains uncertain whether the Senate would consider the bill if the House passes it.
Last week, the House Oversight Committee released more than 20,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate. The files included emails discussing President Trump, who recently called on the Justice Department and FBI to investigate Epstein’s ties to leading Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton, and major financial institutions.
Trump has maintained that he severed ties with Epstein years ago and has not faced any accusations of wrongdoing.
In a Sunday post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide,” describing the scandal as a “Democrat Hoax.”
When questioned about the potential vote on Saturday, Trump said he did not have a strong opinion on whether the files are released. “I don’t care about it released or not,” he said.
He added that if the release occurs, investigators should examine Epstein’s associates and friends thoroughly. “What I think you should do if you’re going to do it, then you have to go into Epstein’s friends,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
The push for the release of Epstein’s files highlights ongoing bipartisan interest in uncovering the full scope of investigations and internal communications within the Justice Department. The upcoming vote could set a precedent for greater government transparency in high-profile criminal cases.
