US Lawmakers Overwhelmingly Backed Bill Ordering Release of Epstein Files
by Ibrahim Sofiyullaha, https://www.facebook.com/legitngnews · Legit.ng News · Join- The US House of Representatives has passed a near-unanimous vote directing the Department of Justice to release files linked to Jeffrey Epstein
- Rep Clay Higgins cast the lone dissenting vote and warned that the bill, as written, could expose innocent individuals named in investigative records
- The bill’s sponsors, joined by several survivors, urged the Senate to advance the measure without changes that could obstruct public disclosure
The US House of Representatives has approved a measure compelling the Department of Justice to release long-sought files connected to disgraced se offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Lawmakers recorded a near-unanimous vote after months of public demands for greater transparency surrounding the deceased financier’s criminal dealings and the circumstances of his associations.
BBC reported that the chamber erupted in a brief moment of applause as the board displayed a tally of 427 to 1. Several survivors of Epstein’s crimes watched proceedings from the gallery and reacted visibly once the bill crossed the required threshold.
House records near total support
The only dissenting vote came from Rep Clay Higgins of Louisiana. He later posted his explanation on X and argued that the legislation, in its current form, risked harming innocent people whose names appear in investigative files.
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He wrote that the bill “reveals and injures thousands of innocent people” and insisted that the release of raw files to the public would expose witnesses, family members and individuals who were never implicated in wrongdoing.
Higgins added that he would vote for a revised version if the Senate inserted stronger privacy protections.
His comments echoed concerns shared quietly by some House Republicans before the vote.
Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledged similar fears during his weekly briefing. He warned that people who seek to assist law enforcement could be discouraged if they believe their identities will later be disclosed through legislative action.
According to him, the bill could also risk outing undercover officers involved in ongoing operations.
Sponsors push back at objections
Despite those anxieties, the bill’s sponsors, Rep Thomas Massie and Rep Ro Khanna, maintained that the measure was essential for delivering justice. They held a joint news conference outside the Capitol, the American legislative building, hours before the vote, joined by several survivors.
Their message to the Senate was clear. Massie said, “Don’t muck it up in the Senate. Don’t get too cute. We’re all paying attention.”
He added that senators were free to add protections for survivors as long as nothing blocked public disclosure.
The House Oversight Committee has been running a separate investigation that has produced tens of thousands of pages of material from the Justice Department and Epstein’s estate.
Some Republican leaders had favored continuing through that channel rather than passing a new law. Supporters of the bill argued that committee work alone lacked the force required to guarantee full access to the remaining files.
Uncertainty now shifts to the Senate. Majority Leader John Thune has not revealed his path forward. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has taken the opposite stance and vowed to act quickly.
He issued a statement saying that once the House cleared the bill, he would ask the Senate to take it up immediately.
Schumer said:
“Republicans have spent months trying to protect Donald Trump and hide what’s in the files. Americans are tired of waiting and are demanding to see the truth.”
Trump releases top US secret kept hidden for 20 years
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Justice Department has released a new batch of Jeffrey Epstein files following Attorney General Pam Bondi's review of classified documents in the case. However, the highly anticipated client list was not included in the release.
According to New York Post, many of the documents had already been released during Ghislaine Maxwell's federal criminal trial, which resulted in her decades-long imprisonment.