US Congress Votes to Send Epstein Files Bill For Trump's Approval

Last Updated:November 19, 2025, 19:58 IST

US Congress passed a bill ordering Justice department to release Epstein files. Trump supports disclosure, but Attorney General Pam Bondi can withhold sensitive information

While the Senate had already said it would pass the bill even before it officially received it, the House of Representatives have okayed it in a 427-1 vote. President Donald Trump has said he will sign off the measure. (Image: AP/file photo)

The US Congress have agreed to order the Justice department to release its files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

While the Senate had already said it would pass the bill even before it officially received it, the House of Representatives have okayed it in a 427-1 vote.

After facing pushback from his supporters, President Donald Trump, who has to sign off the measure, has said he will do and urged the Republicans to vote to disclose the records.

Trump had said the timing of the Epstein files’ release did not matter to him and has continued to cast the issue as a distraction. “I just don’t want Republicans to take their eyes off all of the Victories that we’ve had," he wrote in a social media post.

According to BBC, Trump’s own historical relationship with Epstein has again been the subject of recent headlines after US lawmakers released more than 20,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate – including some that mention Trump and other prominent figures, without indicating any wrongdoing by those individuals.

Epstein, charged for sex trafficking, was found dead in his New York prison cell in 2019. The death was ruled as a suicide.

Trump’s announcement to release the files as there was “nothing to hide" had surprised many, including Republican congressional leadership.

House Speaker Mike Johnson had on several occasions termed the calls to release the Epstein files as “Democrat hoax". On Tuesday, he voted in support of release.

Republican Clay Higgins, of Louisiana, has cited his concern about “innocent people being hurt" with the release of the information.

According to BBC, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer brought up the bill on the floor of the Senate under a procedure called unanimous consent. However no one objected, there was no debate and no amendments added to the bill.

The bill requires Attorney General Pam Bondi to release “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials" related to Epstein and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell within 30 days after the law is enacted.

The files include internal justice department communications, flight logs and people and entities connected to Epstein.

However, there are obstacles even if Trump signs the bill. Because the bill gives Bondi power to withhold information that has the possibility of affecting any active federal investigation or identifying the victims.

News world US Congress Votes to Send Epstein Files Bill For Trump's Approval

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