Both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate moved swiftly on Tuesday to compel the Justice Department to publicly release files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, sending the legislation to President Donald Trump’s desk.

The House voted overwhelmingly 427-1 to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act, with Louisiana Republican Rep. Clay Higgins casting the sole dissenting vote. The Senate then approved the measure by unanimous consent without debate, setting the stage for Trump to sign it into law.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, who had previously opposed the measure and called it “recklessly flawed,” ultimately voted in favor while expressing hope the Senate would make amendments to address what he characterized as “serious deficiencies” in the bill. However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated the Senate was unlikely to amend legislation.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act mandates that the Justice Department publicly release all “unclassified records, documents, communications and investigative materials” related to Epstein and his convicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell within 30 days of the bill being signed into law. The legislation seeks federal records on individuals, including government officials, named or referenced in connection with Epstein’s “criminal activities, civil settlements, immunity, plea agreements or investigatory proceedings.”​

Victims’ names and other identifying information would be excluded from disclosure, as would any materials that may depict or contain child sex abuse material.

President Trump has said he will sign the bill “whenever it gets to the White House.” A senior administration official confirmed Tuesday evening that Trump intends to sign the legislation.​

Once signed, the 30-day clock begins for the Justice Department to compile and release the files. The Justice Department may not release the entire Epstein file, even after the law takes effect, though. Materials related to ongoing investigations or subject to executive privilege claims will likely remain out of public view.

The vote marked a significant reversal for Trump, who spent months opposing the legislation and reportedly tried to dissuade GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert from supporting the discharge petition that forced the floor vote. After facing growing bipartisan support in the House, Trump reversed course over the weekend, telling Republicans to vote yes on releasing the files “because we have nothing to hide.”

As president, Trump has broad declassification power and authority over the Justice Department. The Constitution vests all executive power in the president, and the legal framework for the classification system stems from the president’s role as commander in chief, established through a series of executive orders. Presidents are generally seen as having the authority to directly declassify information, as it is ultimately their constitutional prerogative.

Trump has previously used executive action to declassify historical records in other cases of intense public interest, including files related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr..

However, the Epstein files present some unique legal complications. Grand jury materials, which make up a portion of the Epstein files, are governed by strict federal rules that typically require court approval for disclosure. A federal judge in Florida rejected a Justice Department motion in July seeking to unseal grand jury transcripts from the Epstein and Maxwell prosecutions, stating the court did not have authority to release sealed grand jury material under existing rules.​

More than a dozen survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse delivered powerful and emotional testimony Tuesday morning on Capitol Hill.

Standing in front of the U.S. Capitol alongside Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene, Thomas Massie, and Ro Khanna, the women—many holding photographs of themselves as children—recounted years of trauma, manipulation, and systemic betrayal while demanding transparency and accountability for crimes they say robbed them of their childhoods and altered the course of their lives.

Several survivors addressed President Donald Trump directly during the press conference, criticizing his handling of the Epstein matter even as some acknowledged having voted for him.

Haley Robson, who was recruited to Epstein’s Palm Beach mansion when she was 16 years old, held up a photograph of herself as a young girl and delivered a pointed message to the president. “While I do understand that your position has changed on the Epstein files and I’m grateful that you have pledged to sign this bill, I can’t help to be skeptical of what the agenda is,” Robson said. “I am traumatized. I am not stupid. You have put us through so much stress, the lockdown, the halt of these procedures that were supposed to have happened 50 days ago.”​​

Jena-Lisa Jones, who said she met Epstein when she was 14 years old, was even more direct in her criticism. “I beg you, President Trump, please stop making this political. It is not about you, President Trump. You are our president. Please start acting like it. Show some class, show some real leadership, show that you actually care about people other than yourself,” Jones said. “I voted for you, but your behavior on this issue has been a national embarrassment.”

The bipartisan group of lawmakers leading the effort praised the courage of the survivors and warned the Senate against making changes to the legislation that could weaken it.​

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican and longtime Trump ally, hit back at the president after he called her a “traitor” over the weekend for her support of the Epstein files release. “I was called a traitor by a man that I fought for five, no, actually, six years for, and I gave him my loyalty for free,” Greene said. “Let me tell you what a traitor is. A traitor is an American that serves foreign countries and themselves. A patriot is an American that serves the United States of America and Americans like the women standing behind me now.”​

Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who co-sponsored the Epstein Files Transparency Act alongside Republican Thomas Massie, emphasized that the issue transcends politics. “This has never been political. This is not about questions of Trump or Biden. This is a question of doing the right thing for survivors,” Khanna said. “They need to pass this in the Senate, and they should not amend it. President Trump has said he would sign the Epstein Transparency Act. It’s going to get overwhelming support in the House. It should go straight to the Senate, and it should be signed. No amendments, no adding loopholes. Justice is long overdue”.​

Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky issued a stark warning to the Senate: “As Ro said, don’t muck it up in the Senate. Don’t get too cute. We’re all paying attention. If you want to add some additional protections for these survivors, go for it. But if you do anything that prevents any disclosure, you are not for the people, and you are not part of this effort.”