THIS DAWN — The United States House of Representatives today approved the Epstein Files Transparency Act in a landslide 427-1 vote, mandating the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) to publish all unclassified records related to the investigation of the late financier, Jeffrey Epstein, and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
This medium learnt that Republican Congressman Clay Higgins is the only lawmaker who voted against releasing the Epstein files.
Under the legislation, DOJ must release within 30 days all materials in its possession concerning Epstein’s prosecution.
The materials include:
- communications,
- investigative files,
- flight logs,
- travel records, and,
- documents referencing individuals named or implicated (including government officials).
The bill allows standard redactions to protect victims’ identities and ongoing law-enforcement operations.
However, it explicitly prohibits withholding documents for reasons of “embarrassment, reputational harm or political sensitivity.”
One dissenting vote
The only dissenting vote came from Clay Higgins (R-La.), who argued the bill undermines established criminal-justice protections for witnesses and non-charged individuals.
House leadership had initially resisted bringing the measure to a floor vote, but a discharge petition forced the action and exposed fractures within the Republican conference.
President Donald Trump, previously opposed to the bill, announced his support ahead of the vote, stating he would sign it if it reached his desk.
While he claimed the administration “has nothing to hide,” significant legal and procedural obstacles remain.
The bill now advances to the United States Senate, where the path remains uncertain.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has indicated the measure will be taken up “fairly quickly,” but left open the possibility of amendments that could delay final passage.
The Guardian Senate Democrats are pledging to push through the bill with urgency and minimal changes.
Survivors wait with bated breaths
Survivors of Epstein’s abuses and advocacy groups welcomed the House vote as a long-awaited step toward transparency and accountability.
Critics caution that releasing sensitive records could interfere with ongoing investigations or expose innocent third parties.
As the bill progresses, the American public, victims’ families and legal observers will watch closely to see whether full disclosure becomes reality or is delayed by procedural hurdles.
Sex trafficker Epstein, it could be recalled, “killed himself” while in prison in circumstances described as suspicious.
