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By Hugh Cameron
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The House of Representatives is setting up for an expedited vote to release all Justice Department files concerning deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, and House Speaker Mike Johnson has provided an update on the timing.
The requisite support for a vote has been secured following the end of the 43-day government shutdown and, on Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would put a bipartisan bill which compels the release of the files to a House vote within the coming days.
"We’re going to put that on the floor for a full vote when we get back next week," Johnson told reporters, adding that the House Oversight Committee had "been working around the clock" on its own investigation into Epstein.
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However, the bill faces further hurdles before lawmakers and the public will get access to the long-sealed documents.
Why It Matters
The monthslong drama over Epstein and the tranche of documents held by the Justice Department embroiled the Republican Party and the current administration in scandal earlier this year, sparking backlash among GOP lawmakers and their base, and leading to an early August recess amid pressure from Democrats to force the release of the files.
There is strong support among the public for full transparency, and the case has been given heightened attention after House Democrats this week released 23,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate, containing new emails referencing President Donald Trump and revealing further information about his relationship with the late sex offender. The president has denied any wrongdoing or connection to Epstein’s trafficking operation, while calling the entire saga a "hoax" manufactured by his rivals.
What To Know
The bill in question was introduced by Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna in early September. The discharge petition—a rarely employed procedural tool used to bypass the House majority leadership—would force a House vote to compel the Justice Department to release all documents relating to its investigation into Epstein.
The representatives have now secured the requisite 218 signatures, following the swearing in of Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva after a seven-week standoff with Speaker Johnson. Grijalva, who won the seat of her late father Raúl in a September special election—became the final signatory moments after taking her oath.
While Khanna said earlier on Wednesday that a full vote on the files could take place "by early December," Johnson’s latest statement suggests this will occur next week, though the floor schedule has not yet been set.
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In an interview with CNN on Wednesday evening, the pair said they were confident in securing the necessary votes, and that as many as 50 Republicans could join Democrats in supporting the bill in the House.
"If we get that kind of overwhelming vote, that’s going to push the Senate, and it’s going to push for a release of the files from the Justice Department," Khanna said.
Only four Republicans including Massie signed the discharge petition—Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nancy Mace and Lauren Boebert—but Massie said he expects further support to galvanize and that this will "carry momentum into the Senate."
Anonymous sources familiar with the matter told CNN and The New York Times that top Trump officials met with Representative Boebert, and that the president had also spoken with Mace, regarding their support for the discharge petition. The White House acknowledged the meeting with Boebert on Wednesday. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt called it an example of the administration’s "transparency," and Boebert says she has faced no pressure regarding her support for the release of the files.
"The president has not put pressure on me. I was not asked by the president to remove my name, every conversation that I had was welcomed and very civil," Boebert said, as quoted by CNN. "And, you know, it’s OK for people to have discussions about things that are going on with our nation."
What People Are Saying
Democratic Representative Ro Khanna in an interview on Wednesday said: "Today, there were bombshell emails that came out showing that Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell had emails about Donald Trump's knowledge of what was going on. So, we need a full release of the files. Finally, that's going to happen."
Republican Representative Thomas Massie, quoted by Politico, said: "I’m certain the House vote will succeed. Some Republican members who are not signers of the petition have told me they will vote for the measure when the vote is called. I suspect there will be many more."
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene posted to X: "Next week we will be voting to release the Epstein files. I honestly believe it’s not only the right thing to do for the victims but it’s also the right thing to do for the country. Americans deserve transparency.
She added: "There were only 4 Republicans that signed the discharge petition for the Massie resolution to release the Epstein files…Next week when everyone is forced to go on record to vote to release the Epstein files, I expect the number of Republicans to be a lot higher that actually vote yes.
Kate Shaw, professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, told Newsweek: "I’d think that the degree of public interest in Epstein will make it very difficult for Johnson to delay the vote until December. And whether it’s next week or later, I expect the bill to be passed in the House by a significant margin. Right now it doesn’t look like there are the votes in the Senate, but I wouldn’t rule it out, particularly if Senators’ constituents are clamoring for it….and if the president’s approval numbers continue to slide, he’ll have less leverage to bring to bear on Senators. If it somehow manages to pass both houses, I think the most likely outcome is a presidential veto—but that would and should be an enormous scandal."
What Happens Next
While backers of the bill believe a strong majority in the House vote will put pressure on the Senate, the measure would still have to pass the Republican-controlled upper chamber and obtain the president’s signature before the files could be released. The president retains the ability to veto the bill, though such a move would likely spark even more backlash from the growing chorus of supporters still seeking greater transparency from the administration on the Epstein case.
Update 11/13/25 9:47 a.m. ET: This article was updated with commentary from law professor Kate Shaw.
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