Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee as part of its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, marking a significant shift after months of negotiations between the parties.
The agreement represents a notable reversal following the committee’s decision last month to advance contempt of Congress resolutions against both Clintons. Those resolutions were moving toward floor consideration by the House Rules Committee, raising the possibility that Congress could formally hold the former president and former secretary of state in contempt.
According to a statement from Clinton spokesperson Angel Ureña, the Clintons will comply with the committee’s request to testify. Responding on the social platform X to comments from Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.), Ureña wrote, “They negotiated in good faith. You did not. They told you under oath what they know, but you don’t care,” adding that “the former President and former Secretary of State will be there” and that they “look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone.”
Comer appeared to learn of the development during a House Rules Committee meeting on Monday, where discussion of the contempt resolutions was already underway. The moment led to a heated exchange, with Democratic lawmakers pressing for clarity on whether the panel would still pursue contempt proceedings. Comer responded that he had not yet reviewed the letter from the Clintons’ attorneys and needed time to assess its contents.
In a statement issued shortly afterward, Comer said, “The Clintons’ counsel has said they agree to terms, but those terms lack clarity yet again and they have provided no dates for their depositions.” He added that the agreement came only after the House advanced contempt proceedings and said he would seek clarification before determining the committee’s next steps.
Later that day, the Rules Committee chose to postpone consideration of the contempt resolutions. House Rules Committee Chair Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) cited ongoing negotiations and the need for additional clarity, saying there was still uncertainty about what the Clintons had agreed to. She noted that the committee could resume consideration of contempt if there was not “substantial compliance and agreement overnight.”
The delay followed earlier tensions between the parties. On Monday, Comer had rejected a previous proposal from the Clintons’ legal team, calling it “unreasonable” and arguing that their “desire for special treatment is both frustrating and an affront to the American people’s desire for transparency.”
Democrats on the Oversight Committee, however, disputed that characterization. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the committee’s ranking member, said Monday evening that the Clintons’ latest letter accepted every condition Comer had outlined. “The Clintons have offered to testify fully to every single request from Chairman Comer and the Republicans,” Garcia said, adding that Democrats had long urged Comer to reach an agreement and move forward with testimony.
For now, the contempt proceedings are on hold as the Oversight Committee reviews the terms of the Clintons’ agreement and determines whether their cooperation meets the panel’s demands. The outcome will shape whether the investigation proceeds through voluntary testimony or returns to the prospect of formal congressional enforcement.
