Elaina Batista, Asst. Social Media Editor
On Nov. 18, the U.S. Congress passed a bill ordering the U.S. Department of Justice to release its files on Jeffrey Epstein. The bill requires the DOJ to publish the files in a searchable and downloadable format, as Congress approved the release of the files by a final vote of 427–1.
The Epstein files generally refers to the collection of government documents and physical evidence related to the investigation of the late American financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The materials include information about his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, including flight logs, travel records, individuals and entities connected to Epstein. Epstein was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges when he took his own life in his jail cell in August of 2019.
In the vote brought to the chambers, Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La. was the only lawmaker to vote against it. The bill suggests that the DOJ must publish the material within 30 days, but the documents related to live investigation will remain confidential.
“If enacted in its current form, this type of broad reveal of criminal investigative files, released to a rabid media, will absolutely result in innocent people being hurt,” Higgins wrote on X.
When U.S. Attorney General, Pam Bondi, was asked about the Epstein files during an unrelated press conference on Wednesday, Nov. 19, she stated, “We’ll continue to follow the law with maximum transparency, while protecting the victims.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson declared the effort to reveal the Epstein files a, “Democrat hoax” on multiple occasions. Yet, on the Nov. 18 vote, he voted in favor of release.
The day before the House and Senate passed the bill to release the files, Epstein’s brother, Mark Epstein, claimed in an interview that FBI Director Kash Patel was involved in a cover-up. He also said that a reliable source told him the files were being scrubbed of any “Republican names.” However, there is no evidence backing these claims made by Mark Epstein.
Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) introduced the Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA) in July of 2025. This bipartisan duo co-authored the legislation and the votes from both chambers exceeded their expectations.
“EFTA’s passage brings Epstein’s victims one step closer to receiving justice and Americans one step closer to receiving transparency,” Massie said following its passing.
Still, the release of the files may not be fully comprehensive, as the legislation allows the Justice Department to withhold sensitive victim information and any material that could compromise an ongoing investigation.
The U.S. government had already released Epstein-related flies in February, dubbed the “first phase”, which included the “Evidence List,” a catalog of material allegedly obtained during searches of Epstein’s properties in New York and the United States Virgin Islands following his arrest in 2019, as well as a search of his Palm Beach mansion.
According to the evidence list, the remaining goods include 40 computers and electrical gadgets, 26 storage drives, more than 70 CDs, and six recording devices. According to the Justice Department, they all include more than 300 terabytes of material in total.
In what condition the files will be presented is to be determined.