Rep. Thomas Massie gathered enough support on Wednesday to force a House vote on releasing more Jeffrey Epstein files. The discharge petition reached the required 218 signatures, according to the Washington Examiner.
This move compels Speaker Mike Johnson to bring the legislation to the floor for consideration. All 214 Democrats and four Republicans joined Massie in signing the petition, per ABC News.
In early September, Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna started this initiative to advance the Epstein Files Transparency Act II. They now have the power to call a vote after seven legislative days pass, according to the Washington Examiner. The bill would let victims and state attorneys general sue the attorney general for withholding records.
It also allows members of Congress to demand unredacted files directly from the department. The legislation specifically bars Attorney General Todd Blanche from using “deliberative process privilege” to hide documents, per ABC News. This tool lets lawmakers bypass leadership when the majority refuses to act.
Massie told CNN exactly why these documents matter to the public. “You have to give us those internal memos about decisions on whether to prosecute, whether to investigate, because that’s central to this whole thing,” Massie said. The bill aims to hand over internal memos that explain government decisions on investigations.
Massie said he is working with other lawmakers to push the act to the floor “for a vote soon,” according to the Washington Examiner. Discharge petitions are rare, but they have succeeded eight times in the current Congress, per ABC News. This marks the second time Massie has used this tool to force action on Epstein records.
Once the motion is placed on the calendar, it stays there for at least seven legislative days. After that period, a signer must offer a motion to discharge the bill, per ABC News. That motion would leave the House speaker with two legislative days to take action.
Any floor action on this proposed bill would likely come after the Thanksgiving recess. It could happen as early as December 2 or 3, according to ABC News. This follows a previous vote in November 2025 that passed a similar bill ordering the release of files.
The legislation empowers those who claim to be survivors to demand disclosure of documents. It targets records the lawmakers believe the government is unlawfully withholding, per the Washington Times. This process ensures that internal decisions about prosecution are open to public review.
Once the mandatory seven days elapse, Massie and Khanna may now request a vote regarding the bill. The House will move to consider the legislation if the discharge motion passes, per ABC News. This step brings the fight for full transparency one step closer to a final decision.
