Both chambers of the US Congress have voted to compel the Department of Justice (DoJ) to release its files on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, marking a rare near-unanimous move on an issue that has sharply divided Washington.
The House of Representatives passed the measure by 427–1, and the Senate approved it hours later through unanimous consent, allowing the bill to proceed without debate. The speed of the vote followed President Donald Trump’s sudden reversal last week, when he urged Republicans to support releasing the files after facing pressure from his supporters, reports BBC.
Republican Clay Higgins of Louisiana was the lone dissenter in the House, arguing he feared “innocent people being hurt” by the disclosure.
The president’s shift—from attacking the effort as politically motivated to insisting there was “nothing to hide”—caught Republican leaders off-guard. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who for weeks called the push a “Democrat hoax”, ultimately voted in favour of release.
The bill had been expected to move slowly through the Senate but was fast-tracked after the overwhelming House vote. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer brought it up under unanimous consent, facing no objections.
The legislation now heads to President Trump, who is expected to sign it. Notably, a congressional vote was not required Trump could have ordered the release himself.
The legislation directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to release “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials” related to Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell within 30 days of enactment. Materials include DoJ communications, flight logs, and records involving people or organisations linked to Epstein.
However, Bondi may withhold information that could jeopardise active investigations or expose victims.
The renewed scrutiny follows the release of more than 20,000 pages of documents last week, some referencing Trump, though the White House denied any wrongdoing. Epstein was found dead in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.
Epstein’s long association with powerful figures remains a focal point. One 2011 email released last week showed Epstein writing to Maxwell: “I want you to realize that that dog that hasn’t barked is Trump.. [VICTIM] spent hours at my house with him.” The White House said the victim referenced was Virginia Giuffre, a prominent accuser who died earlier this year. Giuffre had previously said she never witnessed Trump engage in abuse.
Survivors demand transparency
Speaking after the vote, Giuffre’s brother Sky Roberts said: “She did it, she paved the way… and we won’t stop.”
Epstein survivor Annie Farmer urged full disclosure, saying withholding files amounted to “institutional betrayal.”
The push was led by Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna. Massie dismissed Trump’s criticism, warning that Republicans opposing release “will have voted to protect paedophiles”.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, once among Trump’s strongest allies, publicly challenged him: “A traitor is an American that serves foreign countries and themselves.” She called the row “one of the most destructive things” to Trump’s movement since 2016.
Survivors echoed the demand: releasing the files, they said, is essential to accountability.
