House Forces Vote on Epstein Files Transparency Act II
U.S. House members used a discharge petition to force a vote on legislation compelling the Justice Department to release millions of Jeffrey Epstein files.
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives forced a vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act II on Wednesday after a discharge petition reached the required 218 signatures. The effort, led by Thomas Massie, sidesteps House leadership to compel the Justice Department to release remaining files related to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The proposed legislation would allow survivors of Epstein's abuse, state attorneys general, and members of Congress to file federal lawsuits against the Justice Department to force the release of unredacted materials. This action follows the original Epstein Files Transparency Act of November 2025, though lawmakers and victims described the resulting document releases as late and incomplete.
Representative Massie alleges the Justice Department continues to unlawfully withhold over 3 million files and maintain heavy redactions. The discharge petition reached its threshold when Democratic Representative John Garamendi provided the 218th signature. Representative Ro Khanna, who collaborated with Massie on the original 2025 act, also supported the effort to increase transparency.
