[0:00]to our organization's values. Across the past three decades, hundreds of people have come forward reporting they were abused by Epstein, Maxwell, and their associates. The pain they have been
[0:11]subjected to is far greater than anyone should have to endure. Yet, our government continues to hurt them. These brave survivors deserve truth and justice.
[0:22]Many have carried their trauma for decades, waiting for recognition and an end to their suffering. Families who lost lost loved ones face the pain of the abuse, the grief of death, and being
[0:34]forced to live without closure. Passing the Epstein Files Transparency Act is essential to honoring survivors courage and providing long overdue resolution. You can stop the harm by
[0:45]passing this bill to release the files and holding the powerful accountable. Passing the Epstein Files Transparency Act is vital to stop ongoing harm and set the precedent that sexual violence
[0:57]is not tolerated. It is highly likely that some of the perpetrators identified in the files are still committing acts of pedophilia, abuse, and trafficking. Exposing them will finally allow justice
[1:08]to intervene and prevent further victimization. Moreover, not releasing the Epstein files protects the abusers. It prioritizes the perpetrators above your
[1:18]citizens and above victims. The files are expected to reveal individuals in positions of influence who enabled or actively participated in abuse.
[1:28]Currently, major institutions, including our government, our banks, and our companies, may be led by abusers who are named in the Epstein files. Not releasing this information allows them
[1:38]to continue their reign of terror and power and control. Increasing their influence and thus increasing their ability to cause more harm and cover up their actions. Releasing the files will
[1:49]dismantle pathways of harm and serve as a warning to others who might seek to exploit their wealth or influence to commit sexual violence. Transparency is
[1:59]a deterrent. Exposing networks of abuse makes it harder for similar systems of exploitation to operate in the shadows. Accountability must extend to the powerful. No one should be allowed to
[2:10]commit sexual violence no matter how much influence, money, or control they have. Exposing them will uncover systems of abuse that have existed for decades. But acknowledging institutional failures
[2:22]helps us strengthen laws, strengthen policies, and strengthen protections to stop abuse in the future. Without systemic prevention, the same patterns will repeat. Preventing future harm
[2:32]requires breaking the silence that fuels rape culture. Hiding abuse normalizes it, while transparency sends an unmistakable message that sexual violence has consequences no matter who
[2:42]you are. We demand transparency, accountability, and an end to the ongoing harm. Releasing the Epstein files is crucial to protecting our citizens from abuse and upholding our
[2:53]democracy. Epste's network crossed international lines in trafficking and exploiting victims around the world. In releasing
[3:04]these files, the US will lead by example, strengthening global cooperation against sexual exploitation, ensuring justice is pursued not only in our country, but everywhere that harm
[3:14]has been allowed to flourish. Finally, passing the Epstein Files Transparency Act will uphold the integrity of our democracy. Individuals from both parties are expected to be implicated.
[3:25]Transparency is the only way to demonstrate that justice is not partisan. Justice, transparency, and accountability are the rights of the people. Full disclosure is the only path
[3:35]to restoring public trust and ending the perception of government coverups. People must see that elected officials can hold each other accountable. Without this, faith in our government collapses.
[3:46]How can we trust our leaders to pass laws protecting us and our children from sexual violence if they cannot hold each other accountable for committing it? At its core, this is about restoring trust
[3:56]in our justice system, and our government, and our collective ability to end sexual violence. 69% of Americans believe there is a cover up and 86% support releasing all files from the
[4:07]Epstein case. Every day the truth is withheld, public confidence erodess further. We demand the immediate release of the files with only minimal redactions as for necessary protection
[4:18]as is necessary to protect victims and ensure national security. We stand united in calling on Congress to use every tool available, subpoenas, lawsuits, and the swift passage of the
[4:28]Epstein Files Transparency Act. Justice cannot be delayed any longer. Survivors, families, and the American people deserve nothing less than the
[4:38]full truth. Thank you. Now, let me be clear in a few points. This letter has the support of 48 organizations calling for immediate action. The Epstein Files
[4:49]Transparency Act is the only sure path to fully releasing these records. This is not a partisan fight. Accountability and transparency must apply to everyone, regardless of party. We call on the
[5:00]House and the Senate to swiftly pass the Epstein File Transparency Act. Now, I am honored to introduce Representative Adalita Ghalva, whose bravery, persistence, and refusal to back down in
[5:10]the face of intense pressure made her an indispensable catalyst for change. Representative Ghalda, thank you for standing with survivors. The podium is yours.
[5:18]>> Thank you. Thank you very much. Sorry. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. um especially to the survivors, family members, and
[5:28]advocates who are here today and who have never given up. I also want to thank the organizations who are standing with us today. The Sexual Violence Prevention Association, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, the
[5:39]National Women's Law Center and Ultraviolet, and more than 40 other organizations, and dozens of survivors calling on Congress to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act. I'm not standing here because Congress suddenly found
[5:50]courage. I'm standing here because survivors forced Washington to pay attention. Your voices, your persistence, and your truth got us to this moment. Today is about something
[6:01]very simple. The American people deserve the truth. Survivors deserve justice, and no one, no matter how powerful, should be protected by secrecy. This
[6:11]vote, this transparency, and this accountability are long overdue. We know now that thousands of pages released thus far are only the tip of the iceberg. And that matters because
[6:22]without full transparency, we cannot have justice. Let me be clear. This is not a Democratic issue. This is not a Republican issue. It's a human rights
[6:31]issue. It's a matter of justice. The momentum behind this did not come from politicians. It came from survivors and the public who demanded answers. This is
[6:42]why the discharge petition crossed 218 signatures despite Speaker Johnson doing everything in his power to prevent this from happening, including calling on an early summer release and delaying my se
[6:53]my swearing in for seven weeks. The public pressure cannot stop now. There are going to be people trying to frame this as a hoax, a distraction, or a
[7:02]partisan fight. To them, I say you cannot call it a hoax when real survivors are standing right here. The truth is the truth. No one's name,
[7:13]party, wealth, or fame or title should prevent the truth from coming out. We don't know yet what every docu document will show, but that's exactly why we
[7:23]need they must be released. And while the House will hopefully pass this leg legislation today, this is just the first step. The bill must pass the Senate, the president must sign it, and
[7:35]even then the DOJ must implement the law fully and responsibly. So today is a milestone, not the finish line. No one should ever have to fight this hard for
[7:45]the truth, but survivors courage inspires all of us because sunlight is the best disinfectant and justice cannot survive in the dark. Thank you very
[7:55]much. >> Thank you so much. Thank you so much. As Representative Kahala just said, this does not stop
[8:05]here. The House is just the first step. It then goes on to the Senate. And with that, I am proud to announce Senator Mark Kelly who is speaking next. Thank
[8:15]you so much for being here. >> Morning everybody. Well, thank you for being here. I know it takes a lot of courage for the
[8:25]victims of these crimes to speak out. We're here because of you. Together, we are on the edge of doing something
[8:36]important. From Epstein on down, the people who carried out and aided in these horrific
[8:44]crimes thought their wealth and power meant that they would never have to answer for them.
[8:53]They thought the system was rigged for them and not against them, but against their victims.
[9:03]And for a long time, they were right. But we have a chance now to prove them wrong. We have the chance to say that in
[9:12]America, you will be held accountable. Doesn't matter if you're rich. Doesn't matter if you're a Republican or
[9:23]a Democrat. If you hurt people, you will answer for it. This hasn't come easy.
[9:33]Powerful people like the president of the United States and the speaker of the house have tried very hard to keep the whole truth from coming out.
[9:45]They made Adalita Graalva wait how long? Two months? >> 50 days. >> 50 days to take her seat in Congress
[9:54]just to delay accountability. And next, we're going to need your help on the other side of the capital, making
[10:05]sure that Senate leadership doesn't delay this any further. They need to schedule a vote on this so
[10:14]this can get passed into law. But together, we can get there. Because at the core of this, this isn't about
[10:25]Congress members or senators or the media. This is about real victims, but also about their families who
[10:35]deserve justice and who deserve accountability. And together, we're going to make this happen. And thank you very much for
[10:45]being here. We've got a little bit more work ahead of us, but my hope is that Leader Thun will do the right thing and
[10:56]bring this legislation to the floor of the Senate and allow a vote. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Next up, we have
[11:09]Representative Robert Garcia. >> Well, thank you. Um, first, let me just uh just start by saying that today especially uh our our all of our
[11:20]thoughts are with every single survivor and victim of Jeffrey Epstein. These are incredible women who many of whom were abused when they were children at the
[11:31]hands of powerful men in our country and censoring them and the work that you're all doing should happen every single day
[11:40]as we debate in the Congress what our next steps are as it relates to holding people and the powerful accountable. I of course want to thank all the advocacy groups that are here. I especially want to thank uh
[11:52]Congresswoman Grihalva who has been a great friend but also a true leader and champion of ensuring that this process move forward. I serve as uh the lead Democrat on our
[12:03]oversight committee and our investigation on the Epstein files uh is driving a lot of this work and I'm grateful to Congressman Kana uh
[12:13]Congressman Massie for their incredible leadership in this vote that's about to happen here in just a couple hours. But we also want to be very clear. Once
[12:24]this vote happens and goes to the Senate, we are expecting the Senate to take this vote up and leader Thu needs to do the right thing by the survivors
[12:34]and call for a vote immediately. >> In addition to that, we want to make it very clear to the president.
[12:43]He has been fighting this vote for months. After saying that he would release the files during the campaign, after his attorney general said the
[12:55]files were on her desk, he then flip-flops and has been doing everything in his power to stop the release of the files and stop justice for the survivors
[13:05]of Jeffrey Epstein's horrific sexual trafficking ring. But now the president seeing a loss in the House has flip-flopped.
[13:17]We're not going to forget his opposition. And we need to be cleareyed that this new investigation that he has launched is likely another way of trying
[13:28]to stop the release of the files to the Congress, to the public, and for justice for the women and girls who have been
[13:38]fighting on this issue every day. I want to remind the president as well that he has the power to release the
[13:47]files today. He has the power to release the files without a vote. >> In fact, a few months ago, the oversight
[13:57]committee put in place a subpoena for all of the files through the Department of Justice and still they have released
[14:06]nothing. And so, at the end of the day, Donald Trump today can bring justice for the survivors and he refuses to do so.
[14:16]It's important and this is a message directly to leader Thoon. He needs to understand that this issue is bigger than what we're just doing here in the
[14:25]Congress. There are millions of girls and women that are watching our actions across the country and the world. There are millions that are
[14:36]survivors themselves of sexual abuse. There are millions that are being abused in their workplace or in their home. And
[14:44]they're watching us and asking, "Will our government, will our leaders actually do anything about this abuse,
[14:55]or are they going to continue to hide and protect the men and abusers at the highest
[15:03]levels of government and power? And if the Epstein survivors who were abused by the most powerful cannot get justice, how can the millions
[15:15]of women and survivors across the country and world expect justice for themselves? And so this is a very important moment for the country. And
[15:25]lastly, I'll say this. I'm often asked what's next. This is directly from the survivors. And I've been talking to them uh pretty regularly, including one just two days ago.
[15:36]They have all asked us to look where they believe the truth is and that is in the financial and bank records >> of the most powerful financial
[15:47]institutions in this country that have the information and where the money was transferred from those powerful men who paid and were involved in the
[15:58]trafficking of these girls. So, if you are the president of a bank, if you are a leader of a financial organization and you are hiding information as it relates to justice for these women, the
[16:08]oversight committee is coming after those documents. Thank you. >> Thank you so much for those remarks.
[16:18]Next up, we have Representative Kelly Morrison. Please join me in welcoming her to the podium. >> Good morning. I'm Kelly Morrison,
[16:29]Congresswoman from Minnesota's third district. It's good to be here with all of you this morning on this incredibly important day. Thank you so much to the Sexual Violence Prevention Association for bringing us together. So much
[16:40]gratitude to Teresa for being here today. Your bravery, selflessness, and advocacy are truly remarkable. Your courage to speak out and stand up for
[16:51]others is the only reason we are in this position today. finally able to try and bring the justice and transparency that is far too long overdue. And thank you to the Sexual Violence Prevention
[17:02]Association for delivering this letter today, bringing nearly 50 organizations dedicated to ending child abuse, sexual violence, and human trafficking together
[17:13]to call on Congress to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act and demand the release of the files because that is exactly what today is about.
[17:24]standing up against child abuse, sexual violence, and human trafficking. Today is an opportunity for us to send an important message here in DC, across the
[17:34]country, and across the world. Today is our opportunity to say, no matter who you are, no matter how rich you are, no
[17:43]matter how powerful you are, you are not above the law. No amount of money, power, connections, or corruption can
[17:54]buy you a free pass to abuse children or sell human beings. For decades, the government and people in power have been
[18:03]complicit in covering up the horrific abuses of Jeffrey Epstein and Galain Maxwell. Today, we will say no more.
[18:14]The time has come for the victims and survivors to get the justice and the transparency they are asking for and deserve. The time has come for the
[18:23]perpetrators to be held accountable. The time has come for the corrupt leaders who were complicit in facilitating this to be exposed. The time has come for the
[18:34]American people to get the transparency they have demanded. And we have to ask ourselves, if we don't get this right, if we don't release the files and bring justice to
[18:45]the victims and hold the perpetrators accountable, what message would that send? Today marks a new day. Today we say this
[18:55]will no longer stand. We are putting the rich and powerful on notice. We are saying you cannot and will not get away with exploitation and abuse. There is
[19:07]nothing more deeply American than the notion that everyone has equal rights under the law. And today we are reasserting our rights
[19:17]as Americans. I met with survivors of Jeffrey Epste and Gileain Maxwell alongside members of the Democratic Women's Caucus earlier this fall. Their stories are harrowing.
[19:29]Their testimony is powerful. Their bravery is unmatched. We have seen the lengths the rich and powerful will go to
[19:38]cover up their crimes. But these women are putting everything on the line simply to ensure that we never allow this to happen to anyone else ever
[19:49]again. So today, every single member of the US House of Representatives will go on record to say whether they will be complicit in a cover up protecting pedophiles and the corrupt, rich, and
[20:01]powerful or if they stand on the side of justice, truth, transparency, and the American people. It should not be lost,
[20:10]however, that the only reason we are having to take this vote is because the Trump administration is refusing to comply with a subpoena and release the
[20:20]files. The president and his administration are legally required to release the files to Congress and could do so today. They could have released them at any time since he was sworn in.
[20:31]Not only has he refused to comply with the subpoena, he and the speaker of the house have tried to block the release of the files at every turn, going so far as to shut down the House of
[20:41]Representatives for more than a month. But Americans understand that this is simply not a partisan issue. This is
[20:51]about our very humanity. I hope to see this pass with a unanimous vote in the House today and I expect the Senate to take it up immediately and
[21:01]pass it with the support of every single senator. And then the president must sign it into law and finally release the files so that the survivors can finally get the justice that they have been
[21:13]denied for far too long. It is truly the very least that we can do. Thank you. Thank you. That was very powerful.
[21:27]Please join me in welcoming Fatima Goss Graves, president of the National Women's Law Center Action Fund. >> Thank you so much. And as she said, I'm
[21:39]Fatima Goss Graves. I'm president of the National Women's Law Center Action Fund. And I want to begin with deep gratitude to the survivors
[21:49]uh who have given us the gift of their stories and who have persisted in the face of a lot of resistance. Uh I
[21:59]also lead the National Women's Law Cent's Times Up Legal Defense Fund which helps to support thousands of survivors of sexual harassment and violence. And
[22:11]in our time running that fund, we've seen a lot. Each week, we've seen survivors who have stories of powerful
[22:19]men using their influence to create harm and to escape accountability. And we've also seen the many ways that
[22:30]survivors risk everything to simply tell their story and get the justice that they deserve.
[22:40]Jeffrey Epstein and Galain Maxwell, they were predators. They use money and connection to exploit
[22:50]and silence and terrorize young women for gratification of Jeffrey Epstein and his friends.
[22:59]But we know abusers are often enabled by individuals and enabled by networks who allow violence to occur and continue and
[23:08]who ensure silence and shame. Six years after his death, survivors and the American people are still demanding
[23:19]answers about those who participated in covering up the rape and abuse of children. And in fact, we've seen a whole of government approach from the
[23:31]president to the Department of Justice to Speaker Johnson who have all tried to use their power to prevent the truth
[23:39]from coming out. So, it's up to all of us to ensure that none of this is swept under the rug any longer. This isn't
[23:48]politics. This is about justice. And anyone suggesting otherwise is ignoring the reality of what these young women
[23:57]endured at the hands of these men. And you know, I have to say as a leader in the fight for gender justice today, I would not have imagined in this time
[24:09]that I would be speaking with the same voice as some of the members who've joined in support of the discharge petition. We disagree strongly on many,
[24:18]many issues. And today we are able to all come together and demand the release of information on abuse, especially
[24:28]those who currently hold positions of power. And we agree that people across this country, they deserve to know. Democracy and transparency are worth
[24:40]fighting for. Justice for survivors are worth fighting for. and holding the powerful accountable here, it is worth fighting for. So for the survivors who
[24:51]so bravely came forward, our task is to ensure that nothing like this happens again. And that starts with the Epstein
[25:01]Files Transparency Act. It is the only way, as you have heard, to release all of the records and to ensure accountability that the survivors and
[25:11]that the American people have been calling for. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Next up, please join me in welcoming Jenna Sherman, campaign
[25:23]director for Ultraviolet. Thank you so much, Omni, for the kind
[25:32]introduction. What an absolute gift and honor to be here with all of you today. My name is Jenna Sherman. I'm a campaign director for gender justice organization
[25:43]Ultraviolet Action. I'm also a survivor and a rape crisis counselor. Ultraviolet Action is so incredibly proud to be one of the 45 organization,
[25:55]sorry, 47 organizations 48 total, I think, signed on in support of passing the Epstein Files Transparency Act. We are deeply grateful to our fellow
[26:05]organizations for staying set steadfast in the fight to release all files, even amidst pathetic feet dragging and fingerpointing. We are deeply grateful to House
[26:16]leadership and many of the representatives who have spoken today and who couldn't be here for tuning out the noise and doing what is right. And
[26:26]above all, we are deeply grateful for and in awe of every single survivor abused at the hands of pedophiles Jeffrey Epstein and Galain Maxwell. Your
[26:38]bravery, your resilience, and conviction are changing our political reality. Your power is palpable and it is unstoppable.
[26:50]At Ultraviolet, we are so fortunate to work with powerful survivors every single day. And we know that sexual violence is a major health epidemic.
[27:01]One that is far too common and touches all of us. That's right. All of us. Abusers and survivors can be from any
[27:10]political party, ideology, religion, or belief system. That's why we have come together today as a powerful bipartisan
[27:20]coalition to demand accountability for every powerful man and woman regardless of background or political party who parttook in or enabled Epstein and
[27:31]Maxwell's abusive and criminal enterprise in any way. If there are sexual predators out there grooming and sexually exploiting kids and teenagers, and yes, news flash,
[27:43]teenagers are children. We the public must know these abusers are rich. They are powerful and in many cases they are controlling parts of our country. But we
[27:54]are here to make loud and clear that they are not above the law and that they must pay the price for their crimes. These perpetrators losing their jobs and
[28:04]reputation is nothing compared to the mental and spiritual anguish experienced by the over 1,000 survivors whose lives
[28:14]were irrevocably altered, some of whom we have heartbreakingly lost to suicide. There are real lifelong consequences,
[28:24]even intergenerational consequences to experiencing sexual abuse and especially child sexual abuse. And we are done with those consequences being used as a
[28:35]political football with zero accountability. The only path to truth and justice is to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act
[28:44]in the House and Senate. Only then can abusers be held accountable. Only then can we get the transparency that we need
[28:53]and deserve. And hopefully then survivors can begin to truly heal. Thank you so much. Questions.
[29:08]Awesome. Thank you truly. Thank you to every member of Congress who is pushing for the truth, to every nonprofit leader standing with us, and most of all to the survivors who continue to show
[29:18]extraordinary courage and resilience. You are the reason we are here. Your strength is what makes this fight possible. Thank you to the 47 organizations who joined our letter.
[29:29]This coalition proves that when survivors lead, the nation must follow. Let me make one final call. Congress must pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The American public deserves the
[29:40]full truth. Survivors deserve justice, transparency, and accountability. Preventing the sexual violence epidemic in our country requires addressing this egregious harm and uprooting the systems
[29:52]and institutions that permitted and concealed it. Our democracy depends on our willingness to confront this head on. With that, we will now take about
[30:01]five minutes of questions. You know, we're we're seeing I mean,
[30:17]this is a this is a demand from the nation from people. It's not a partisan issue. So many people, regardless of political ideology, want to see what is in these files.
[30:29]Trump promised that on, you know, when on day one when he was elected, he was going to release the information and here we are stuck. And my concern truly
[30:39]is that with um this, you know, partisan sort of launching of investigation of just Democrats that are implicated that that will hold up in some way the
[30:50]release of the full files. And so I do think that we have to look at that for sure. Yes. Uhhuh. >> Yes. I think really any way that we can get
[31:13]more transparency and more justice for the survivors, we need to utilize every avenue. So if Prince Andrew has information that would be beneficial to
[31:23]Congress, then we should utilize that avenue. Well, I mean, if you know I if the leadership in that has been working on this issue much longer than I have
[31:34]believe that he has insightful information, then we should utilize that option. Yeah. >> Yes. Oh, I'm sorry. >> What's your reaction to that?
[31:58]I believe it's another delaying tactic. I do think that the Transparency Act really covers um that information and trying to protect survivors. And so again, my concern is that there
[32:08]continues to be this resistance in releasing information that the public is demanding because we want one, survivors are demanding it and they need to be
[32:18]able to move forward and begin this healing process. And every turn that this administration takes in trying to prevent the full information from getting out is just another ploy to hold
[32:30]on and protect, you know, pedophiles and protect people in power. >> Yeah. What is your response to that?
[32:52]>> I have no information about that. I can't verify that information and so I'd rather not speak on it. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> All right. >> Thank you. Thank you so much.
[33:04]>> Thank you. Thank you so much. >> Thank you for being here. I'm sorry.
[33:14]This was such a such a whirlwind. I really appreciate you guys. >> My dad and I literally practice this. >> You got to be a good snapper in
[33:26]organizing. >> I'm sorry. for the photo. >> Oh, I'm sorry.
[33:36]>> Wait, can you guys >> I'm like I know you've got places to be here. You can go right out front. Get in there.
[33:46]Yeah, this is for us. Thanks, sweetie.