The Senate on Tuesday approved a House-passed measure requiring the Justice Department to release all unclassified records tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, sending the legislation to President Trump for his signature. The agreement, reached through unanimous consent, brought a swift end to a months-long dispute that had divided lawmakers and intensified partisan accusations.
The final step in the Senate came shortly after the House approved the measure in a 427–1 vote. Senate Democratic leaders arranged for the bill to be automatically considered passed upon its arrival from the House, a move that followed a check by GOP leadership to confirm there were no objections within their ranks. Despite earlier warnings from some Senate Republicans about potential risks to uninvolved individuals or ongoing investigations, none chose to block the expedited process.
The speed of the Senate’s action reflected a growing reluctance among Republicans to continue debating an issue that had caused significant turmoil in the House. For months, House Democrats argued that GOP leaders were resisting full transparency to shield high-profile individuals who may have been linked to Epstein, while Republicans countered that many documents had already been made public and that Congress should not dictate how federal investigations handle sensitive material.
Public pressure ultimately intensified after weeks of political stalemate. President Trump, who had previously dismissed the push for broader disclosures, signaled this week that he would sign the bill. His shift came after months of tensions with lawmakers in both parties over the timing and scope of the release of records.
The House’s overwhelming bipartisan vote left little appetite in the Senate to modify the legislation. Some Republicans had floated amendments to protect innocent third parties or safeguard classified material, but the lopsided House vote made additional changes unlikely. Senate Majority Leader John Thune noted that altering a bill with such substantial support risked delaying it well past the current session.
The House’s action was accelerated by a discharge petition filed by Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna, which forced the measure to the floor after securing the required 218 signatures. The decisive signature came from newly seated Rep. Adelita Grijalva following weeks of delays caused by the lengthy government shutdown. Four Republicans joined the petition, reflecting a small but influential bloc pushing for immediate transparency.
By the time the House voted, momentum had clearly shifted. Massie, a lead Republican sponsor, urged senators not to modify the legislation, arguing that any additions limiting the release of information would undermine public confidence in the process. Several victims of Epstein’s crimes were present as the House prepared to vote, adding further pressure to move the bill without delay.
Trump’s endorsement emerged over the weekend when he urged House Republicans to support the measure after previously describing the effort as politically motivated. Reports indicated he had contacted several GOP lawmakers in earlier attempts to stall the legislation, but those efforts faded once the discharge petition reached majority support.
Only a handful of senators had previously supported a similar proposal offered in September. At the time, an amendment directing the Justice Department to release all unclassified Epstein materials drew only two Republican votes, reflecting the reluctance that persisted until this week.
With both chambers now aligned, the measure awaits the president’s signature. If enacted, it would compel the Justice Department to make public all unclassified records related to Epstein’s activities and prior investigations, marking one of Congress’s most substantial transparency actions in recent years.
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