[0:00]at a later time. For what purpose does the gentleman from Ohio seek recognition? >> Mr. Speaker, I move to spend the rules and pass HR 4405. The clerk will re report the title of the bill.
[0:11]>> HR 4405, a bill to require the attorney general to release all documents and records in possession of the Department of Justice relating to Jeffrey Epstein
[0:22]and for other purposes. >> Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Jordan, and the gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Raskin each will control 20 minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio.
[0:33]>> Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on HR 4405.
[0:44]>> Without objection. >> Uh Mr. Speaker, uh I yield myself such time as I may consume. >> The gentleman is recognized. We all support holding bad guys accountable and we're all going to vote for this resolution,
[0:56]but I think a little perspective is important. Democrats have had spent six months talking about Epstein even though they
[1:05]had four years to do something about it. Now, why would they do that? Why would they do that? Maybe it's to go after President Trump. Never forget, they shut down the
[1:17]government for 43 days. They said, "Don't worry about our military. Don't worry about air traffic controllers. Don't worry about our economy. Don't worry about American families. No, no,
[1:27]no. Close the government for a month and a half because it might hurt the president." For the past decade, there's been one
[1:37]constant for Democrats. One constant. Go after Trump. They spied on his campaign. Then it was Mueller. Then it was impeachment one. Then it was impeachment
[1:48]two. Then it was all the lawfare Alvin Bragg, Fonnie Willis, Leticia James. Then it was Arctic Frost investigation at the Justice Department surveilling
[1:57]United States senators and congressman and a whole host of other Americans. Then it was Jack Smith and his gag orders and his raiding President Trump's home. Then it was a 43-day shutdown. And
[2:09]now it's Epstein. And by the way, by the way, the same party that did all that, they were also the ones who were texting with Mr. Epstein during a hearing where
[2:19]Michael Cohen was their witness in another effort to go after the president. Americans see through it all. And
[2:28]frankly, it's actually kind of sad this this obsession, this syndrome, this this mindset that says we got to go after President Trump no matter what that they
[2:39]have. And I actually when I think about it, I think it's because President Trump's and Republicans have accomplished so much that they told the voters they were going to accomplish in the 2024 election. We're actually doing
[2:51]what we said we were going to do. President Trump said he was going to cut taxes, and he did. President Trump said he would secure the border, and he did. President Trump said he'd get men out of women's sports, and he did. President
[3:02]Trump said he would make sure Iran doesn't have nuclear capability, and he did. and he said he would get the hostages out of Gaza back into Israel
[3:11]and he did all in nine months. So I don't know what what what causes this this mindset this syndrome that the left has but I know one thing. I know
[3:21]one thing. It is real. Which brings me to last week. Think about what the Democrats did last week. The Democrats released an email that the
[3:33]oversight committee had obtained from the estate. An email from Mr. Epstein to Miss Maxwell. When the Democrats released it, they redacted the victim's
[3:42]name. Something we all support, something everyone supports, except except in this case, no court had ordered that name redacted. No agency
[3:53]had redacted it, and the estate didn't redact it, and the victim had already went public. So why black out her name? Why black out her name? Because she had said in her
[4:05]book and had testified under oath that she never saw any wrongdoing by President Trump. So think about what they did in an email
[4:15]between two criminals, Mr. Epste and Miss Maxwell. In an email between two criminals, they hide the name of an individual who had went public and exonerated the president.
[4:27]And we know why. to distort and twist the message because they thought it might harm the president. Their position. Their position. Cover up
[4:38]the names of people who are already public. But don't worry about other innocent people who the court said should remain private. Again, I think the American people see through it. They see through what the
[4:50]Democrats are doing. The American people know what this is. They know Democrats have nothing else to run on because of the success of this administration.
[5:00]So I say let's vote yes on this resolution and then let's get focused on making sure we're doing what the American families elected us to do. With that, I reserve. >> The gentleman reserves. The gentleman
[5:12]from Maryland is recognized. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. >> The gentleman's recognized. >> Today, four months and three days after Mr. Khan and Mr. Massie introduced their
[5:23]discharge petition, perhaps the most famous discharge petition in American history. The People's House unites across party lines to draw a moral line.
[5:34]We draw a line against the rape and sexual violation of children. We draw a line against the global criminal trafficking of girls and young women to
[5:44]service the pleasure of rich and powerful men who believe they are beyond all law and all morality. We draw a line
[5:53]to put the voices of the victims and the survivors first. We asked the Senate to join us without changes rather than obstruct this bill with dilatory
[6:05]amendments, legislative graffiti, and self-deing millionoll jackpot provisions for lucky senators just passed the bill. We're finally voting today because a
[6:16]bipartisan discharge petition led uh by representatives Massie and Connor and signed by 218 of us overthrew the
[6:26]determined obstruction of the speaker. This forced vote means the House will no longer acquies in this astonishing
[6:36]realtime cover up of a multibillion dollar global sex trafficking and child rape ring that has ravaged the lives of
[6:46]more than a thousand girls and young women. We are here today because these victims, these survivors, these citizens, these inspiring women who have come to
[6:57]Washington are demanding nothing less than justice and the complete truth about who is responsible for their vicious abuse, including those
[7:07]responsible for enabling it, ignoring it, bankrolling it, and covering it up. We join them today in rejecting any more
[7:16]dangerous lies about the crimes they suffered. No, child sex abuse is not a hoax. It's a crime. Human trafficking is
[7:27]not a hoax. It's a crime. These crimes are a curse on children and young people across America. In universities and elementary schools, in churches and
[7:38]mosques and synagogues, in boy scout troops and college sports teams and summer camps, anywhere the powerful and the rich believe they've got the
[7:49]opportunity and the impunity to exploit the young, the poor, the powerless, and the vulnerable. We must face the truth and find the co-conspirators still at
[8:01]large in one of America's most extensive and sophisticated sex trafficking and child abuse rings in history. Release of the file will expose the role
[8:12]of everybody who facilitated and covered up these crimes like JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Deutsche Bank and Bank of New York Melon which executed
[8:22]billions of dollars in transactions related to these offenses as well as any bank executives who participated in the sexual abuse of girls and young women.
[8:32]We must expose everyone who cover up these crimes. Like Alex Acasta, the former US attorney in Miami, Donald Trump's labor secretary who gave Jeffrey
[8:42]Epstein an unbelievable sweetheart plea deal, immunized unnamed conspirators, and killed an investigation into Epstein's financial crimes that could
[8:52]have brought down the entire criminal network. And with that, I'm going to uh yield. Oh, I'll reserve the balance of my time. >> The gentleman reserves. The gentleman
[9:04]from Ohio is recognized. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield four minutes to the distinguished chair of the House Oversight Committee, Mr. Comr. The gentleman from Kentucky. >> The gentleman from Kentucky is recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As
[9:15]chairman of the House Oversight Committee, I've always believed that sunshine is the best disinfectant. For years, the American people have demanded transparency about Jeffrey Epstein and
[9:25]Gain Maxwell's horrific crimes and about the federal government's failure to protect the victims. The House Oversight Committee is conducting a thorough review of the federal government's
[9:36]investigation into Epstein. Our work goes far beyond the legislation before us today. We are committed to accountability, transparency, and justice for the American people and for
[9:46]the survivors of these appalling crimes. To date, the oversight committee has released more than 65,000 pages of
[9:55]documents, issued 13 subpoenas, and conducted interviews with two key witnesses, both of whom were Republicans. The Trump administration has provided us with Department of
[10:06]Justice materials and access to suspicious activity reports. Unfortunately, throughout this investigation, Democrats have chosen to manufacture yet another anti-Trump hoax
[10:17]instead of pursuing justice. They have mischaracterized witness testimony and selectively released documents complete with targeted
[10:27]redactions in an effort to smear President Trump. For example, former US Attorney General Bill Barr, who oversaw
[10:36]the 2019 Epstein investigation, stated clearly under oath that the prosecution team found no evidence that President
[10:46]Trump committed wrongdoing. Despite this simple and straightforward fact, ranking member Robert Garcia,
[10:56]moments after that deposition, tiptoed out and publicly claimed that quote, "Bar could not clear Trump of
[11:05]wrongdoing." That was a lie, and we have the transcript to prove it. I invite the media to read the transcript. When the oversight committee interviewed
[11:16]former US attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Alex Aosta, Democrats whipped themselves into a frenzy trying to manufacture a gotcha moment, but they failed. Mr. Aosta
[11:27]dismantled the Democrats narrative. His testimony confirmed there was no contact between President Trump and Mr. Aosta and no connection between President
[11:37]Trump in the Epstein case. Next, Democrats resorted to selective leaks and doctor documents to mislead the American people. Oversight committee Republicans have posted 65,000 pages of
[11:49]documents we have received to date. Democrats, by contrast, have released fewer than one dozen. In their latest selective leak,
[11:58]Democrats released just three three of the 23,000 pages of documents from the Epstein estate. and they made redactions to two of those emails that changed both
[12:09]the context and the meaning of the three pages they released. When CNN CNN called them out for their deceptive
[12:20]redactions, representatives Stanberry and Crockett tried to blame Republicans for their own edits, for the Democrat Oversight Committee edits. After
[12:32]Democrats released only three emails, Republicans released over 23,000 pages. And what did Democrats say in response when we released every single document
[12:42]that we got? They claim full transparency was meant to quote disorient or distract from their manufactured narrative. These are the
[12:52]same Democrats who chant, "Release the files every day until the files contradict the story they want to tell." That that is the definition of
[13:03]hypocrisy. In contrast, full transparency exposed how Epstein appears to be TDS patient zero. The emails re
[13:13]reveal a journalist coached Epstein to blackmail then presidential candidate Donald Trump. >> Additional minute to >> the gentleman's recognized. The files
[13:24]also show that a House Democrat colluded with Epstein during the 2019 oversight hearing to discredit Witness with a vendetta against President Trump. And
[13:35]unsurprisingly, Democrats have been silent about their colleagues coordination with Epstein. Another email shows Democrat fundraisers invited Epstein to an event or to meet privately
[13:45]with Hakee Jeff as part of their 2013 effort to to build to win a majority. So, Hakeem Jeff campaign solicited money from Jeffrey
[13:56]Epstein. That's what we found in the last document batch. The files underscore why former President Trump must appear for his deposition. We've subpoenaed him. To date, the Democrats
[14:07]have done nothing to help us uh secure his appearance. I support full transparency. The oversight committee will continue to work to get the truth to the American people and to get
[14:17]justice for the victims. That's our goal of this investigation. With that, I yield back. >> The gentleman yields back. >> Yeah, Mr. Speaker, we reserve. >> The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized.
[14:29]>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, you know, I should just point out that we've heard now from the two distinguished chairman of the Judiciary and the Oversight Committee, and they've spoken almost exclusively to denounce Democrats. We
[14:40]have a bipartisan coalition here demanding the truth about the largest child sex abuse and trafficking ring perhaps in American history, certainly
[14:50]in this century. And they want to just throw stones at the Democrats. What a remarkable failure of leadership we're seeing from the other side. And I imagine that the chairman of the oversight committee will follow up his
[15:01]spectacular failure in trying to impeach President Biden with his spectacular failure in trying to block the resolution we brought the floor today. I'm happy to yield one minute. I Excuse me. You're not recognized, whoever is
[15:13]speaking. And I'd like to uh yield one minute to the very distinguished minority leader on the House Oversight Committee. >> The gentleman is recognized. >> Uh thank you. And Mr. Speaker, it's it's
[15:23]wonderful to hear uh Republicans and certainly uh the chairman of our committee finally wanting transparency on this issue. It is time to end this White House cover up now. Now, we know
[15:35]that Donald Trump has tried everything to kill our Jeffrey Epstein investigation, and he's failed. And now he's panicking. He's about to lose his Epstein vote to force the Department of
[15:46]Justice to release the files. And let's be crystal clear, Trump has the power to release the files today. He does not
[15:55]even need a vote. And he continues to defy the subpoena of the oversight committee to release all the files. What is Donald Trump hiding? What is Pam
[16:07]Bondi, the attorney general, hiding? Why won't they release the Epstein files right now? And he must explain to the public why he moved sex trafficker and
[16:19]monster Gain Maxwell to a cushy low security prison after her interview with Trump's personal lawyer. He should declare and every Republican should say that she does not deserve a pardon or
[16:30]commutation. >> The gentleman's time is expired. 20 more seconds. >> I grant him 20 more seconds. >> We don't care how much money you have, what party you're in, how powerful you are. We should get justice for the
[16:42]survivors of Jeffrey Epstein. And our work on the committee is not over. Next up are the bank and financial records to follow and expose Epstein's network. Today, there should be unanimous vote on
[16:53]releasing the files and we will get justice. And with that, I yield back. And we reserve. >> The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield a minute and a half to the distinguished gentleman from California, member of the
[17:03]judiciary committee, Mr. Kylie. >> The gentleman from California is recognized. >> I have consistently called for the maximum possible level of transparency when it comes to the heinous crimes of
[17:14]Jeffrey Epstein. That's why I've consistently said I am inclined to vote for this bill and it's why I will be doing so today. The victims deserve the
[17:24]truth. They deserve justice and they deserve closure. For months, they've had to wake up every day and see the name of their tormentor on the front page of
[17:36]every newspaper, on every t TV channel, as has the broader American public. This issue has been so politicized by so many
[17:45]people in so many ways, which is deeply unfortunate when we're talking about matters of the highest sensitivity and
[17:54]untold suffering. It is my hope that the passage of this resolution today together with the work of the oversight committ committee will lead to the
[18:04]expeditious release of all pertinent material so that we can move on. Let's get accountability. Let's get answers
[18:14]and let's get this over with. I yield back. >> The gentleman yields back. >> The gentleman reserves. >> Yeah, we reserve. >> The gentleman from Maryland is recognized. I yield one minute to the very distinguished gentle lady from
[18:25]Washington, a member of the Judiciary Committee. >> The gentle lady from Washington is recognized. >> Mr. Speaker, thousands of girls, children were abused by Jeffrey Epstein
[18:35]and his massive and powerful ring of pedophiles and protectors of pedophiles. We can't say all their names here. We don't have time. But let's at least
[18:47]bring a few of the courageous survivors and their names onto the House floor right here as we debate this. Haley Robson,
[18:57]Jenna Lisa Jones, Michelle Lacata, Ashley Rubit, Annie Farmer, Marina Lera,
[19:07]Rachel Benvdz. These women have carried a burden that they never should have had to bear. And today they demand, we demand, the
[19:18]American people demand that we answer their clarion call to justice. Today, despite all the giant cover up attempts by this administration and this speaker
[19:28]of the house, we will vote to release all the Epstein files. To be clear, there is no protection for pedophiles, no protection for the rich and powerful
[19:38]men of either party who participated, who turned a blind eye, who winked and grinned while witnessing the horrific abuses of young children. Release the
[19:49]gentle lady's time the damn files. Now >> we reserve. >> The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield a minute and a half to the distinguished gentleman from North Carolina and member of our committee.
[20:01]>> The gentleman is recognized. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I have been very supportive of this effort, specifically to bring justice to the victims of this horrific series of crimes. However, I have worked behind the scenes to raise
[20:12]concerns with this petition as it is currently drafted. Specifically, I believe that there is grave risk at harming innocent people. And I repeat, harming innocent people. When innocent
[20:23]people are harmed, that is not furthering justice. With an investigation of this size and a file that is as large as the Epstein files and as poorly defined as that is in this
[20:34]petition, there will invariably be people who are released pursuant to this discharge petition who had nothing to do with criminal activity. Imagine, if you
[20:44]will, a bellman, a waiter, some type of dorman, a mere social attendee who had no impact whatsoever on the criminal activities of Jeffrey Epste. No
[20:55]participation. their lives are forever ruined. And I'm reading specifically from the petition's language that prohibited grounds for withholding
[21:05]information in this file are embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity. And I would just submit if you are going to be embarrassed, if you are going to suffer
[21:15]so suffer social harm, and that is all of the encompassed activity that you were a part of, you will be named in this petition. And I resent that. Innocent people should not be harmed
[21:26]when we are pursuing justice. I understand the political nature of this petition. I resent the fact that there was not room for good faith amendments
[21:35]and I urge the Senate to protect innocent people. I yield back. >> Yields back. The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized. >> Thank you. I'm yielding one minute to the distinguished gentle lady from
[21:46]California, Representative Kuger Dove. >> The gentle lady from California is recognized. >> Mr. Speaker, one in three women and girls around the world are physically
[21:55]and sexually assaulted each year. Of the 152 women in this body, that means 51 women. It includes your daughters, your sisters, your nieces, your mothers. And
[22:07]with the Epstein files, we have a chance to change that. But real talk, the administration doesn't need a discharge petition. It has not complied with the subpoena, and it has the power to
[22:17]release the files today. Instead, the man in the most powerful position in the world has used the full weight of the government to block and obfuscate and deflect the full release of the files.
[22:28]It is the same person who intimidated female members of Congress to withdraw names from the petition, who responded quiet piggy to a female reporter who asked about the files and who nominated
[22:38]an alleged sexual predator to be our AG. It is the same person whose name appears more than any other in the Epstein emails. And in the pantheon of violence, a sexual predator is the worst of the
[22:50]worst. So why protect him? It's also curious that the judiciary is managing this debate and has not even had this come BEFORE THE COMMITTEE. I WONDER WHY. Release the files now.
[23:01]>> We reserve the gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield two minutes to the uh gentleman from Texas, Mr. Roy. Uh chairman of the Constitution subcommittee.
[23:12]>> The gentleman from Texas is recognized. I thank the chairman. Today, a united Republican party and a bipartisan supermajority is going to pass a bill to increase transparency regarding the
[23:22]egregious abuses by Jeffrey Epstein. A goal that anyone of conscience desires. That is in totality an important statement to check the rich and the powerful. Remember how we got here?
[23:33]After decades, it was President Trump's Department of Justice that indicted Jeffrey Epstein in July of 2019. It was President Trump's DOJ that arrested and indicted Miss Maxwell. It was the
[23:44]Republican le oversight committee through 13 subpoenas that has released 65,000 pages of files in just 10 months. Meanwhile, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have largely ignored
[23:55]this issue. It was Democrats who redacted an email to mislead the American people about the truth of a witness that exonerated President Trump. It was a Democrat, Representative Pacet, who literally texted with Jeffrey
[24:07]Epstein as we questioned Michael Cohen. It was Democrats who shut down the government, resulting in the delay of swearing in of members as we vote to pass this legislation, and it will pass.
[24:18]It is impossible, however, to avoid problems with its politiciz politicization. One colleague has offensively gone so far as to say that to oppose this bill
[24:28]means you support pedophiles. Yet I know good public servants, former law enforcement, former prosecutors who never knew Epstein, never knew any visitors to his criminal enterprise, who
[24:39]have genuine concerns about supporting this bill out of fear of creating new victims or harming existing victims or both. That is what we've reduced Congress to, inserting itself into the
[24:50]prosecutorial process for political motivations driven heavily by hatred of President Trump. We should be concerned about victim privacy, concerned about risking disclosure of non-credible
[25:01]allegations of child sexual abuse materials, future investigations. But here's the deal. The leaders of this nation must expose abuses by the rich and the powerful. That is why President
[25:11]Trump and the House have been working for full transparency, but we should be motivated by truth and justice for all, not politics. I yield back. >> The gentleman yields back. The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized.
[25:23]>> Thank you. Do I yield one minute to the distinguished gentle lady from Massachusetts, Representative Clark, the minority whip? >> The gentle lady is recognized. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This should be an easy vote. This is about justice for
[25:35]the victims and survivors of Jeffrey Ebstein. This is about every victim of trafficking and sexual abuse, monstrous
[25:44]crimes that thrive in secrecy and fear. Yet, instead of shining a light on that darkness, just moments ago, Donald Trump
[25:54]defended the continued obstruction of releasing these files. Even as House Republicans prepare to vote yes today,
[26:04]Speaker Johnson is calling this a show vote. He's calling it dangerous. He is signaling the US Senate to block it.
[26:14]Republicans continue to use their power to shield rich pedophiles from justice. If you can't stand up for these
[26:23]survivors, how can anyone trust you to stand up for them? I yield back. >> The gentle lady yields back. >> We >> The gentleman reserves.
[26:34]>> Does the gentleman reserve? >> Yeah, we reserve. >> The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. We reserve. The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized. >> Yes. Just very quickly, what happened
[26:45]under the Biden administration? Well, under the Biden administration, Galain Maxwell was prosecuted for conspiring to sexually abuse and traffic girls in
[26:54]2020, right? When in uh in in 2021, she was convicted. In December of 2021, uh, after a month-long trial in Judge
[27:03]Nathan's courtroom, in 2022, Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison under the Biden administration for sex trafficking and sexual abuse of minors.
[27:14]But when President Trump took office in January of 2025, they killed the investigation. They assembled all the materials. They got all the prosecutors together and they terminated the
[27:25]investigation. I yield one minute to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Roger Krishna Murthy. >> The gentleman from Illinois is recognized. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support to release the Epstein files.
[27:36]First, this issue is beyond party. It's a question of justice. Survivors have waited too long. Stop the delay. This is not a hoax. Release the files. Second,
[27:46]we must face a hard truth. Silence that shields the powerful is a betrayal of those they hurt. Congress must reject any attempt, including a presidential
[27:57]pardon or any form of clemency for Gla Maxwell. This cannot be done. This would be a cover up. We cannot allow clemency of any kind for Maxwell. Not now, not
[28:08]ever. Survivors deserve justice. I urge a strong yes vote. Thank you. >> Back. >> I want to thank the gentleman for for his eloquent remarks. Pardons are for
[28:20]people who are contrite. Pardons are for people who are repentant. Pardons are not for people who lie. Every member of this body should immediately, verbally, vocally denounce the idea of clemency,
[28:31]commutation, or pardon for Gla Maxwell. And we reserve. >> The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. Yeah, we reserve. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman reserves. >> I yield 30 seconds to Miss Leger
[28:46]Fernandez. >> The gentle lady is recognized. There were thousands of girls and young women abused, trafficked, and used by Epstein, the elite, and the powerful who
[28:57]believed they could get away with it. Epstein told the young victims that he controlled the banks and the government. Those women refused to be silenced, and
[29:08]today they have pierced the dark with their light. Anytime any girl is trafficked, molested, or abused, the
[29:17]world must stand up. Today, the House proves Jeffrey Epstein wrong. The Senate must do the same tomorrow. >> We reserve. >> The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
[29:28]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield two minutes to the gentleman from uh from California. >> One and a half, excuse me, one and a half minutes to the gentleman from California. >> The gentleman from California is recognized. >> I thank you, chairman.
[29:39]Mr. Speaker, a million minute and a half or an hour, the words would still have to be the same. We've all said that this
[29:49]will pass the House perhaps unanimously today. I think all of us who have looked at the details of this particular uh
[29:58]bill know that it is flawed and that before it goes to the president's desk, it has to be amended as it can be amended in the Senate. And we call on
[30:08]the Senate to amend it so that we protect the innocent, so that we have the provisions that were intended perhaps to be in this bill, but are not
[30:19]properly written. With that, President Trump has said, "Get it to his desk. He will sign it." President Trump has said he will do it. But I'm going to say to
[30:29]all of us, it is also important that we remember that Epstein is dead, but people live on. People who were
[30:39]innocent, people who in fact should not be named. We're not talking about the rich and the powerful. We're talking about the very victims. That is what we
[30:49]need to make sure is amended before it goes to the president's desk. And with that, I thank the chairman for his time. I think no more needs be said that this
[31:00]body will vote for it all, but let's not kid ourselves. It has to be changed so that it properly protects both the tradition of the uh grand jury and
[31:12]clearly those innocent people that would otherwise be swept up. And I yield back. >> The gentleman's time is expired. The gentleman yields back. Reserve. Gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized. >> This whole bill is about protecting the
[31:24]innocent. Mr. Speaker, the Senate must pass the bill as we are passing it today and as the president has said he would sign it after changing his position on
[31:34]the bill over the weekend when he could see the title wave of public opinion moving against him. Let's pass this bill, pass it in the Senate, sign the bill, and let us go ahead and release
[31:45]the complete file. I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentle lady from Arizona, Representative Ansari. >> The gentle ladies is recognized. >> Mr. Speaker, the walls are closing in on Donald Trump and his rich and powerful
[31:56]friends who either abused or raped children or were enabling and complicit in these heinous crimes for decades. This vote today matters, but here is the truth. Donald Trump could direct the
[32:08]Department of Justice to release the files today. He is choosing not to. They are already under subpoena led by oversight Democrats and have refused. This is an ongoing cover up by the Trump
[32:20]White House and Mike Johnson and the House has been complicit. What is Trump hiding? Why not release the files today? This is a matter >> has expired. >> Release the files today. Thank you.
[32:30]>> The gentle release time is res The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. >> Uh thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield two minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Van Drew. >> The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized.
[32:42]>> Today, I want to talk about hypocrisy. Let me be clear. I was from Jumpstart, a co-sponsor of this very bill. From the beginning, we should never protect
[32:52]pedophiles. But for months, my Democratic colleagues have done what they think is politically convenient. Through all the yelling, through all the tears, through all the sadness, they say
[33:03]releasing the Epstein list is of grave concern to him. If that was true, where were they during the four years of the Biden presidency? Why didn't they demand the release of these files from
[33:13]Jumpstart in year one? Mr. Speaker, why didn't they ask for them in year two? Or if that wasn't good enough, maybe in year three they had control or not even
[33:25]in his final year of office. Other than a single letter the ranking member wrote in 2019, a single letter, not one Democrat on the committee spoke out
[33:36]about Epstein or his victims of this very terrible tragedy other than to say that he didn't like the plea deal. Let me say this. When they stand here
[33:47]today insisting how badly they want these files released, why didn't they do it? Yet they stayed silent for year after year after year after year under
[33:57]Joe Biden. It's impossible, Mr. Speaker. It is impossible to see that as genuine. What I see is a group more focused on scoring political points and drama than
[34:09]protecting abused children. The record is clear. under Republicans. Far more information has been released in the last six months than was done during all
[34:19]four years of the previous presidency under Joe Biden. We've actually been the party of transparency. We've released the information. We've told the truth
[34:29]unfortunately and I'm sad to say it. They have been the party of hypocrisy. Mr. Chair, I yield back. >> The gentleman yields back. >> The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized. You know,
[34:40]I've never heard a more defensive presentation in my life uh than what we're hearing from over there. The gentleman should spend a little less time pointing out hypocrisy and a little more time trying to figure it out.
[34:51]Cruelty, humiliation, and rape. And that's what we are working on. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from California, Mr. Mint. >> The gentleman from California is recognized. I want to remind you that we
[35:01]are all here voting on this bill because President Trump, who has the power to release the Epstein files at any time, has refused to do so, calling this a hoax. We're here because Speaker Mike
[35:11]Johnson and President Trump have gone to extraordinary lengths to try to kill and delay the discharge petition, including refusing to seat Adalita Ghalva for over 40 days and threatening House Republicans who signed on. Now, several
[35:23]of my Republican colleagues have accused those of us House Democrats who support justice here of having Trump derangent syndrome. You all suffer from something much worse, which is pedophile protection syndrome. Stop protecting
[35:35]pedophiles. Release the Epstein files. The victims deserve justice. I yield back. >> We reserve. >> Members are reminded to direct their comments to the chair.
[35:45]>> The gentleman from Maryland reserves. >> The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. >> We reserve. >> The gentleman from Ohio reserves. The gentleman from Maryland. >> I'm granting uh yielding 30 seconds to
[35:57]my friend, Representative Walkinshaw from Virginia. >> The gentleman's recognized. >> For years, Mr. Speaker, we have watched dangerous conspiracies like Pizzagate and QAnon shape our political landscape.
[36:08]They helped fuel the rise of President Trump and were built on baseless claims about secret pedophile rings. While the real documented case of child sex
[36:18]trafficking involving Jeffrey Epstein remains shrouded in secrecy because President Trump refuses to release the files. What is President Trump hiding?
[36:30]Why won't he release the files? The House finally has the opportunity to act. Release the files and let the American people see the truth. I yield back. >> The gentleman yields back. We reserve. The gentleman reserves. The gentleman
[36:41]from Ohio is recognized. We reserve. >> Gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized. >> Granting 30 seconds to the very distinguished gentle lady who is finally
[36:52]with us, Representative Adalita Grahalva from Arizona 7. >> The gentle lady is recognized. >> Thank you. Uh Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the survivors, family
[37:03]members, and advocates who are here today and have never given up. The legislation in front of us at its core is about something very simple. The survivors deserve justice. The American
[37:13]people deserve the truth. To every survivor watching, your courage is inspiring. You are the reason why this vote is happening today. Protecting women and children from pedophiles
[37:23]should not be a democratic issue. Should not be a Republican issue. It should be a human rights issue and a matter of justice. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on the transparency act. I yield
[37:35]back. Thank you. >> Thank you. And we reserve. The chair will remind all persons in the gallery that they they are here as guests of the house and that any
[37:47]manifestation of approval or disapproval of proceedings is in violation of the rules of the house. The gentleman from Maryland. >> Yeah, but I'll just add they're here as
[37:58]honored guests of the house and we're delighted they're here and with that we reserve. >> The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. >> We reserve. >> The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Maryland. Uh, I'm granting 30
[38:09]seconds to Representative Lois Franco from Florida. The gentle lady from Florida is recognized. >> Mr. Speaker, for far too long, the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse were failed by a justice system that
[38:20]minimized their suffering and prosecutors who treated young girls as if they were criminals. That was wrong. And I am here with my colleagues to promise this. We will get to the bottom
[38:31]of why the Epstein survivors were treated so badly. Who made those decisions? And who were they protecting? No more secrecy. No more excuses. We all deserve the truth. And I thank the
[38:42]survivors for their courage and perseverance. Your voices are being heard. >> The gentle lady yields back. The gentleman we reser reserves the balance of his time. The gentleman from Ohio.
[38:53]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield one minute to the distinguished gentleman from the great state of Louisiana. The speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Mr. >> Gentleman from Louisiana is recognized. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [clears throat] Thank you, Chairman Jordan, for doing
[39:05]such an extraordinary job on all of this. For 43 long days, the Democrats held this house and the entire country hostage. Finally, with the lights back on, this body is returning to our
[39:16]regular legislative session. We have a lot of work to do. My colleagues on this side of the chamber are ready and eager to get back to our urgent legislative work that we promised the American people we would do. We've got to
[39:27]continue lowering the cost of healthcare. We've got to bring down prices for American families. and we got to finish the regular appropriations process just to name a few of those priorities. And I wish I could say that our first order of business would be to
[39:39]get to those urgent priorities. But of course, we're here spending time on the floor about something else. This is something we could have resolved last week when we brought a unanimous consent to pass this discharge with the full
[39:51]support of the body. But our friends over here who are arguing today stalled that. They objected to it and they wanted to have this exercise instead. And that's why we say that this is a a
[40:01]show vote. That's what this is. They're making a show of it. And it really is a shame. We have some heroic women in the chamber today. I met with many of them a while back. They're in the gallery here.
[40:12]They have they have come forward. They have shown their faces. They've used their names to share the unspeakable tragedies that many of them were subjected to. Some of them when they were very young. And it is a heroic
[40:23]service to the country. They are they are seeking justice and the justice has been delayed for too long. The Department of Justice many years ago should have brought these charges. It took too long to do it. And and now
[40:34]we're in this process of making sure all the American people get the the information. But we have to do it in the right way. The right way. After four years of Democrat control under President Biden, they were not truthful
[40:46]with us about a lot of things. The Democrats insisted the border was secure. We knew it wasn't. They submit they insisted that uh inflation was transitory. We knew it wouldn't be. They misled the American people about the
[40:58]obvious mental and physical decline of the previous commander-in-chief. And now those same Democrats are demanding transparency. Suddenly transparency is their new word. Out of nowhere, they've
[41:10]taken a curious concern in the Epstein investigation. All in the name of that in the name of transparency. But the question has been asked here many times during the debate on the floor and
[41:19]everybody questioning why it is the Democrats have done this right now have to look at the obvious facts. The Democrats had all the Epstein files in
[41:30]their possession for four long years under the Biden presidency. The Biden Department of Justice had these files and no one on this side who is breathless today about the urgency of this release ever said a word about it.
[41:41]And it was the Democrats who could have urged President Biden's Department of Justice to go beyond prosecuting just Epstein and Gelain Maxwell, but they didn't do it. And so, it's a fair
[41:53]question to ask today, why now? Why the sudden urgent interest in Jeffrey Epstein? Look, we know why. It's because the Democrats were never interested in
[42:03]transparency or executing justice or protecting the victims of this unspeakable tragedy before. The simple truth is obvious for everybody to see. This is a political exercise for Democrats. And it pains me to say it. I
[42:14]I I wish that was not the truth, but it is. And it's undeniable. This is as deceitful and [clears throat] dishonest as their pointless stunt was to shut the government down. Democrats are using the
[42:26]Epstein tragedy, the unspeakable evils that this guy committed with his trafficking ring and all of the the abuses that they that they made these young women go through. They're using
[42:37]that as a political weapon to try to distract from their failures as a party and and to try their best to try to tie President Trump somehow into this wretched scandal. The president had
[42:48]nothing to do with it. He's been very clear and he has nothing to hide and that's why he's endorsed the vote today. I I suspect this vote will be probably unanimous. But here's the important point that everybody needs to understand. We have been advocates of
[43:00]maximum transparency, but we have also insisted that the victims be carefully protected. The oversight committee has been doing extraordinary work and we've got some of
[43:10]the the most vigorous advocates on the Republican and Democrat side on the oversight committee. They've been working in earnest to deliver transparency for the American people and to do it in a responsible manner. What
[43:21]do we mean by that? The bipartisan effort over there is already producing all the results that the discharge petition seeks and much much more.
[43:31]Chairman Comr and all of these advocates over there have been releasing thousands of documents, for example, from the Epstein estate. By the way, in my view, that's been the greatest treasure trove of information because it's yielded for
[43:42]us Epstein's own personal flight logs, his financial records, his daily calendars, and so much more. But importantly, none of that was addressed or is addressed in the legislation
[43:53]that's being voted on today. The the estate files wouldn't even been encompassed in that. And so it goes to show that the oversight committee is doing it from the right way. From the very beginning, we've been insistent that this matter be handled carefully
[44:04]and with the utmost caution and cons and and care for the people who have been harmed. They should not be made to suffer any longer. We're talking about real people's lives at stake here and
[44:15]young victims who don't want to be dragged into this political game that could get hurt further. But the Democrats are rushing the release of thousands of un unsubstantiated documents that may be included in this that are going to be in the public
[44:27]domain with the passage of this bill. And there are serious deficiencies in the legislation that I have noted at length. And Republicans have to work to address those deficiencies in the Senate if and when this legislation is
[44:39]advanced. I stood before the American public today at our press conference and I explained in detail the the dangers of the discharge petition. We we have posted at at my
[44:49]website speaker.go a summary that the the legal council a small army of lawyers put this together. I used to be a federal court litigator. Many of my colleagues who have spoken today were we understand the dangers of how this was
[45:00]haphazardly drawn up. And among them, by the way, Mr. Speaker, before I forget, I seek unanimous consent to enter into this document into the record. It is that it's on the website. It's entitled,
[45:10]"How the flaws of HR4405 Could revictimize Epstein's victims, Create New Victims, and Damage the Judicial System." It is dated today
[45:20]Thank you. And it and it summarizes just five or six of the major concerns. Among them, it fails to fully protect victim privacy. It could create new categories of victims. It potentially jeopardizes
[45:31]grand jury secrecy. It fails to prohibit release of child sexual abuse materials that are not appropriately defined in the legislation. It jeopardizes future federal investigations. And we have
[45:42]national security concerns regarding classified information. We'll put this in the record because we need the legislative record to reflect what is the legislative intent behind this vote. I used to litigate cases. We would
[45:53]litigate uh federal statutes and whether or not they could survive. And legislative intent is important. And we need to say clearly for the record as a speaker of house, I'm saying to you this legislation that will pass today is
[46:03]flawed and it must be amended. The question is why didn't we amend it here before we passed it? Because the authors won't allow it. because under the rules of the house under a discharge petition they have to agree to consent for the the legislation to be amended and
[46:15]they're not doing that. So now we rely upon our partners in the other chamber to get that done and they need to do that. The victims deserve our utmost respect. In fact, they should be saluted for their courage and the young women
[46:26]who have not come forward who are now some of them are middle-aged women who have not come forward also deserve our respect and they they deserve to be protected. Republicans support transparency. We want maximum
[46:36]transparency, especially when it comes to disclosing the names of anybody who had anything to do with these evils. Anybody who conspired with or aided in any way Jeffrey Epstein, they must be
[46:48]brought to justice. We we want the bill to be amended so it doesn't in the at the same time violate victim privacy, create new victims, disclose the names of any whistleblower or informant, cause the release of grand jury materials or
[47:00]or child sexual abuse materials, or undermine our national security. And if and when the Senate takes this up, we will work with our colleagues over there to make sure that these things are corrected. I I'll just um I'll just
[47:12]close with this um this simple thought. Uh we we've been at this a while. Um it's strugg uh it's time for this to come to light. We we are I I expect that I expect that
[47:23]this will be a unanimous vote and it will reflect what I think every member in this chamber and I'll say this now at least in recent days every member of the chamber on the Democrat side they didn't say anything for four years but they're
[47:35]for maximum transparency now and so is this side but we want to do it in a respectful and and careful manner so that we don't subject innocent people to further harm and that has been the whole
[47:46]thing. I told all my members today I'll be voting yes on this and I suspect almost everyone will. We'll send it to the Senate and we hope it's corrected. Thank you for the time, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back.
[47:57]>> Gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized. >> I'm yielding to Mr. Gomez for the sole purpose of making a parliamentary inquiry. >> Mr. Gomez is recognized.
[48:06]>> Mr. Speaker, I rise um to ask a point of parliamentary inquiry. Is this an appropriate time to point out that the Republicans named Children's Savings Account and their so-called One Big Beautiful Bill after Donald Trump,
[48:18]someone connected to one of the most notorious pedophiles in this country, or that the speaker of just lied on the floor by stating that there was protection
[48:28]protections for the victims in the Epstein bill. >> The gentleman is no longer recognized. Gentleman from Maryland, you are recognized. >> Thank you. I am uh prepared to close.
[48:39]I've got no more speakers on my side. >> The gentleman reserves. Gentleman from Ohio is recognized. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. >> No, no.
[48:52]>> Gentleman from Ohio has 30 seconds. >> You could remain. >> Can I inquire how much time is remaining?
[49:03]>> 30 seconds. 6 minutes 15 seconds. >> Take 30 his. >> We reserve.
[49:14]>> Gentleman reserve. Gentleman from Maryland is recognized. Um I'll take the opportunity of the speaker's presence to respond to some of the things that he said in the very presence of the victims
[49:25]and the survivors who come to join us today. The speaker said that now would be a time we should be working on urgent legislative work. Mr. Speaker, justice
[49:34]is urgent legislative work. The truth is urgent legislative work. The speaker says, "Why now? Why now?"
[49:44]Well, Mr. Speaker, you were the one who refused to swear in Adelita Grava for 50 days. We would have done it 50 days ago, but she provided the 218 signature on
[49:54]the discharge petition. So why now? it was because of your dilatory tactics, your delay, your postponement of it. Now, uh the the gentleman says that
[50:06]they're not sufficient protections. There are protections in the bill for the victims to make sure that their names will be redacted. And yet, we hear even the speaker of the House of
[50:16]Representatives openly inviting the US Senate to start fingerpainting on this bill, which we have waited more than five months to bring to the floor. The
[50:26]Senate should pass the bill exactly as it's written. The president should sign it exactly as he said he would when he finally changed his mind. And the Epstein file must be released. Moreover,
[50:38]if the president is serious about what he's saying, he's got the power to release the Epstein file right now. Nobody's stopping him. It's within his possession. It's within his control. he
[50:50]can release the whole thing and he can react redact the names of the victims and others uh who are innocent um in this process.
[51:00]Mr. Speaker, Speaker Johnson said that these are unspeakable evils. Well, because of the
[51:11]bravery and the invincible courage of the women who've joined us today, they're no longer unspeakable. They're spoken. They're articulated. The
[51:22]cat is out of the bag. And we know what's been going on for decades. It's been a double standard of justice going all the way back to Alex Acasta, who later got rewarded with a cabinet
[51:32]appointment in the Trump administration. Alex Acasta had a 60count federal indictment ready to go against all kinds of people for an interstate sex
[51:44]trafficking conspiracy with solicitation with child sex abuse all of it. And he traded that 60count federal indictment
[51:53]for one count in state court. And Jeffrey Epstein ended up getting the sweetest of sweetheart deals ever on the plea bargain front. He was free from
[52:04]8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. to do whatever he wanted in continuing to perpetrate his crimes and run his conspiracy. And then he would come and he would watch TV and
[52:14]spend the night in jail. And it was over in about a year after the rape and sexual abuse of hundreds and hundreds of girls. And he kept going and he kept at it. We want
[52:26]the whole truth to come out. This is the United States of America. Even the British monarchy wouldn't put up with this. How about the American democracy?
[52:36]How about we say, "No way. We're not going to allow this cover up to go on for one day more." And I'm glad the president changed his mind after pulling
[52:47]out all the stops to try to get uh one of our Republican colleagues to change their mind to remove their name from the discharge petition. He gave up. And I
[52:58]want to salute the gentle lady from Colorado from having the courage to stand her ground in the situation room in the White House and say no, she
[53:07]wasn't going to be bullied. No. So, um, I'm glad the president changed his mind, but let's be clear, Mr. President, you've got the power today to release
[53:18]the entire file. That's what you called for. That's what Pam Bondi called for. That's what Cash Patel called for. So we don't need anybody calling for the Senate to slow things down for more
[53:30]weeks and more months. The American people have had it. We'll reserve. Gentleman reserves. Gentleman is reminded to direct your comments to the chair and not your colleagues. Gentleman
[53:40]from Ohio is recognized and you do have 90 seconds remaining. Correction. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Texas. >> Gentleman from Texas is recognized. The Democrat party, with help from the
[53:51]dishonest media, used the Epstein files not to seek justice from the victims for the victims, but to smear President Trump. And it's sickening. Quite sickening. The Democrats have used the Epstein files to distract the American
[54:02]people from the winds President Trump and his administration have delivered for the American people for the last 11 months. I'm proud to work with my Republican colleagues on the House Oversight Committee in coordination with
[54:13]the Justice Department. 65,000 pages of documents are related from Epstein released. What have my Democrat colleagues done? They selectively leaked and altered documents to mislead the
[54:23]American people. As President Trump has stated, we have nothing to hide. Nothing to hide here. I'm voting to release the files so that we can move on from this Shmere campaign the Democrats have manufactured. God bless.
[54:35]>> Gentleman's time is expired. >> Gentleman from Maryland is recognized. >> Reserve the balance of my time. >> Gentleman reserves. >> Reserve. >> Gentleman from Ohio reserves. Gentleman
[54:46]from Maryland is recognized. All right. How much time do I have to close? >> You have two minutes. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I I want to thank all of America for tuning in to
[54:57]this. I want to thank uh Representatives uh Massie and Kana, Representative Green, all of those who have insisted upon bringing the truth forward and a
[55:09]reckoning with the reality of one of the worst international child sex trafficking rings ever to exist in the United States. and the cover up attendant to it. We've got the
[55:21]opportunity today to do justice for the victims, for the survivors who have come forward to say that the voice of the victims and the survivors must be put at
[55:31]the very center of our deliberations. Not shunted off to the side, not submerged, not subordinated, but put at the very center. We must hear from the
[55:40]people who themselves were victimized by this nightmare. Now, our colleagues across the aisle seem to want to make this into some sort of partisan contest.
[55:51]I haven't heard so much talk about the Democrats since the Democratic National Convention. And all that we've done here is to say we want to bring the truth
[56:00]forward along with a bipartisan group. We don't want the Senate monkeying around with this in order to slow things down. We want it passed in the Senate.
[56:10]We want it signed. And before that, if the president is true to his word and he wants to see all of this come to light, he can release it now instead of fighting, kicking, and screaming every
[56:21]step along the way. But I'm glad he's changed his mind, and I hope he maintains the momentum he's got to stick with the vast majority of the American people who want to see that the truth is
[56:32]done here. And while he's at it, the administration could reconsider their terrible policies, gutting federal offices and programs designed to combat
[56:42]violence against women. The DOJ terminated hundreds of grants to police departments, defunding the police when it comes to investigating violent sex
[56:51]crimes and to support victims. His doge destroyed programs to combat international human trafficking rings. Let's get back on the side of the women. I I yield back. Gentleman yields back.
[57:03]The gentleman from Ohio. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Uh the speaker Johnson said it right. Why now? After four years of doing nothing because going after President Trump is an obsession with
[57:12]these guys. Best example, best example is John Brennan testified in front of our committee under oath said he was not involved with the dossier. Only problem is Tulsi Gabber declassified a report,
[57:23]released that report and it said exactly the opposite. And she related a story in there where a CIA official went up to Mr. Brennan said, "We shouldn't include this in the report." And John Brennan's response was, "Yeah, but doesn't it ring
[57:35]true? Forget the facts. Forget the truth. Go after Trump. Put it in." Same dynamic at work here. We're all for protecting innocent victims. We're all for exposing the bad guys who did bad
[57:46]things. But this is obsession with the left. For 10 years, it's going after President Trump. So vote yes. Make sure the bad guys are held accountable. We all want
[57:56]to do that. Speaker Johnson's right. I think it's going to be unanimous, but understand what they're doing cuz they had four years and didn't do a darn
[58:04]thing. With that, I yield back.