[0:00]I reserve. >> Gentle lady reserves. Gentleman from Kentucky is recognized. >> I I now yield uh five minutes to the gentleoman from Georgia, Mrs. Green. The
[0:11]>> gentle lady from Georgia is recognized for five minutes. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I proudly rise today in a bipartisan effort to release
[0:22]the Epstein files finally after five administrations have covered it up. Earlier today, I attended the press
[0:30]conference where the survivors, they're not victims, the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's
[0:38]sexual abuse and sex trafficking told their stories. And they told stories about how it started back in 1991,
[0:50]1996, and they continued on through the decades. And they told stories about how they told someone and tried to get help.
[1:00]They told the FBI and they weren't listened to. And they told law enforcement and no one did anything. And these women don't just number a few.
[1:10]These women number around 1,000 women. And they are victims of something that's unthinkable. And this should have never ever
[1:22]happened. This was the biggest fight I think I've seen in Washington DC. This is my fifth year here. And this was a fight that we should have never had to wage. It should have been the easiest
[1:33]thing for every single member of Congress. It should have been the easiest thing for the speaker of the house. It should have been the easiest thing for the president of the United
[1:44]States to release all the information, every single file on behalf of these American women. These American women
[1:54]aren't rich, powerful elites. They do not have someone paying for their airline tickets or paying for their trips or paying for their expenses every time they try to do something to get
[2:06]this get this information out. These are your average Americans. And you want to know what the Epstein file files represent? The cover up represents to
[2:17]average Americans. It represents the failures of the federal government and Congress to the American people. And that is that is what people rose up
[2:28]about in 2024. They wanted and demanded transparency from their government and for Americans
[2:36]finally to be put first. And today with this vote, we are finally putting these victims and these survivors of Jeffrey
[2:47]Epstein and the cabal of rich powerful elites that expands not just here in the United States of America, but to other countries as well. We're putting them
[2:57]last. And that is exactly what Americans want. You see, for far too long, far too long, Americans have been put last. And
[3:08]they're sick of it. They're sick and tired of it. And this is why they don't trust Congress. This is why they don't trust the government. And here's the
[3:19]problem. All of these women, women who have suffered in shame for years and years and years, women who were
[3:30]terrified, women who were intimidated, women who were threatened, just like Virginia Guay,
[3:39]and now she's dead. And these women should have never faced that for this information to come out. And we, especially the four Republican members
[3:50]of the House ofi, House of Representatives, we should have never faced intimidation and threats for us to get this vote to come to the floor.
[4:00]Never forget there were four Thomas Massie, myself, Nancy Mace, and Lauren Boowbert. We had to sign a discharge petition and we had to fight through
[4:11]intimidation and we had to endure it for months to push that discharge petition finally to 218 to get this vote to come out.
[4:23]This is what the American people are sick of and rightfully so. Now, where does this go from here? The question will remain, will the Department of
[4:34]Justice release all the information Will a judge in New York release the information? Will the CIA release the information?
[4:44]And will foreign governments release their information? Or will this continue after this vote today be a cover up? a cover up of the rich, powerful elites
[4:55]that bond together in sex and human trafficking abuse and all types of global business that enriches them but never serves
[5:06]Americans. The American people will know and the victims, actually the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein, will know because they know the list of names and I remain
[5:17]dedicated to my promise to read that names, those names here on the House floor if those women ever find them in a place that it needs to be done. I yield back to Mr.
[5:27]>> Gentle Lady from Georgia yields back. Gentleman from Kentucky reserves. Gentle lady from North Carolina is recognized. >> Uh I reserve, Mr. >> Gentle Lady reserves. Gentleman from Kentucky is recognized.
[5:39]>> I yield myself a minute and 30 seconds. >> Gentleman's recognized for a minute. >> I want to thank the generosity of Jim McGovern, Representative McGovern for granting us this time. I'm embarrassed
[5:51]for my own party today. I'm embarrassed we withhold withheld signing in, swearing in a duly representative
[5:59]of uh the people for 49 days just to avoid this vote that's finally going to happen today. I'm embarrassed that my own party isn't going to yield me time
[6:10]to debate this. Even though they say they support it and I authored it, they don't even want to yield me time to debate this during the bill debate. But I'm thankful. Let me tell you who I'm
[6:21]thankful to. These three brave women, Marjorie Taylor Green, Nancy Mason, Lauren Boowbert. They have been threatened. They have been intimidated physically, politically. It's
[6:32]disgusting. and not by the far left. They have been intimidated by people in our own party and for what?
[6:44]For seeking justice for these victims. So I my hats off. I congratulate them for standing strong. I've always wondered where were the Republican men
[6:53]during this battle. We've taken five months, these three women and I have had to drag our party to this floor today to even vote on this. And Ro Connor is the
[7:05]most to be thanked here in a extraordinary display of bipartisanship. He did not hesitate when I asked if we wanted to bring this bill to the floor together if he would stand in the
[7:17]trenches with me. He said yes. With that, I reserved. >> Gentleman reserves. Gentle lady from North Carolina is recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield myself
[7:26]such time as I may consume. >> Gentle is recognized. >> Boy, it's We need to get facts straight here.
[7:37]President Trump's DOJ in his first term arrested and prosecuted Jeffrey Epstein.
[7:48]We on our side want justice to prevail in this case and in every case.
[7:57]Speaker Johnson has always been clear that if the discharge petition reached the necessary signatures that the House
[8:07]would consider the legislation. And that's what we're providing for in our rule today. In fact, in fact, as soon as the
[8:19]petition hit 218 votes last Wednesday, House Republicans offered a unanimous
[8:28]consent request to pass the legislation. Then, however,
[8:36]the Democrat leader would not give consent to do that last week.
[8:45]Why? Because they're not really interested in this. They're interested in some other things. And Mr. Speaker, I
[8:55]have to correct the record. Mr. Massie did not request time from me. I'm the person who controls the time on
[9:05]the Republican side and he did not request time from me or I would have given him time. >> I I reserve. >> Gentle lady reserves. Gentleman from Kentucky is recognized.
[9:17]>> I'd like to now recognize gentle lady from South Carolina for five minutes. Nancy Mace. >> Gentle lady from South Carolina is recognized for five minutes. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I want to
[9:28]thank my colleagues today for the time uh Mr. McGovern and Mr. Kana for the five minutes on the floor to speak about
[9:36]an issue that is not political for me. Helping the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and his horrific, gruesome,
[9:45]brutal sex trafficking ring is deeply personal. And while we often uh have many disagreements about a lot of issues, maybe most issues, today they
[9:57]are allowing us to speak on the floor. And I want to thank my colleagues, Congressman Massie, Marjorie Taylor Green, and Lauren Boowbert. The four of
[10:07]us making history today over the discharge petition and delivering justice for those who have desperately
[10:16]fought for it for in some cases almost 30 years. I wore white today because I wanted to reflect on the innocence
[10:27]of the young women who had their innocence stolen from a demon named Jeffrey Epstein. From demons,
[10:36]friends of his, rich and powerful people who stole their innocent innocence as young as 14 years old. It was taken
[10:48]from them and they've never gotten it back. I'm also wearing white today to recognize the courage that it takes for women to come forward, the sacrifices to
[10:59]them personally, professionally, financially, the embarrassment, the humiliation, the shame that we still deliver on the backs of
[11:10]women who have been brutalized, who've been raped, who've been assaulted. The shame that the media pours over their heads that their colleagues, their
[11:21]friends, their neighbors, their loved ones, because you come forward and because you talk about sexual assault, you are not a It's not because of
[11:32]what you wore. You're not a But that's how women are treated. And you're not lying. And I want every woman to know, every Epstein survivor to know, every woman across the country who is a
[11:43]survivor, who is a victim of assault, that we today, we see you. And this fight and this vote tonight, I see it.
[11:53]It is about the Epstein victims, but it's about much more than the Epstein victims. This is about the powerless.
[12:03]Taking power away from the very powerful. This is about giving women who never had a voice
[12:13]giving a voice to the voiceless. This is about their sacrifice. This is about having and recognizing their
[12:24]courage. This is about justice for the Epstein victims. But it's also about hope. Earlier this year, I gave a speech right
[12:35]here on the floor of the US House of Representatives detailing trauma that I experienced, endured, and am a
[12:44]survivor of that I accidentally uncovered two years ago almost to the day.
[12:52]And today I still don't have justice like millions of women across the country. When I spoke out I got
[13:02]attacked. When I spoke out I was shamed. When I spoke out I was defamed and smeared. And that goes on
[13:13]today right now in the present. God sure has a funny way of working through us. I, like many of the Epstein survivors and many other survivors
[13:23]across the country, I don't think I will ever heal from the destruction my abuser did to me. But I can heal by being a
[13:33]vessel and being a voice for all those who need it. And that's why we are here today. That is why I will never abandon
[13:42]a single survivor ever. And I will never waver. I spent my morning talking to law enforcement
[13:52]and others about another potential Jane Doe, Jane Doe number five, who may be another sexual assault victim in the
[14:00]case that I uncovered two years ago. It's very difficult for us to come forward, but I want to thank the women who have the Epstein victims, the
[14:10]victims in the case that I uncovered. I want to thank all of you for being a voice, for giving me hope. Maybe one day I too can get justice. Thank you and I
[14:22]yield. >> Lady yields back. Gentleman from Kentucky >> reserves. >> Reserves. Gentle lady from South Car or North Carolina is recognized. >> Um, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
[14:35]Um, our colleagues want Americans to believe that this discharge petition and underlying
[14:45]legislation are the be all and end all in this investigation. However, it's House Republicans who've
[14:57]worked tirelessly to achieve true justice for victims. To date, the significant information
[15:06]that has come out has come from the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. As a result of its issuing 13 subpoenas,
[15:17]we've released 65,000 pages of documents from the Department of Justice, the Epstein estate, which was not mentioned
[15:26]in the underlying legislation, former US attorney, um, and others. Let me state it again. The unanimous
[15:37]consent request to pass the legislation immediately last week was blocked by the minority leader.
[15:49]Full stop. If Democrats truly cared about finding justice immediately for victims, this legislation would have been passed last
[15:58]week. Instead, they want political theater to capitalize on. House Republicans, on the other hand,
[16:08]remain focused on truth, accountability, and delivering real justice for Epstein's victims, not political points. I reserve.
[16:20]>> Reserves. Gentleman from Kentucky is recognized. >> Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time I have remaining? >> Gentleman has 5 and a half minutes remaining. I yield myself three and a half minutes.
[16:30]>> Gentleman is recognized. >> Mr. Speaker, all that is necessary for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing. And we've had a lot of good men doing a lot of nothing on the other side
[16:41]of the aisle until we did something. Three brave women and myself and the the Democrat caucus. We did something. And then what did they do? They've opposed us every step of the way. They've lied
[16:51]about the legislation. Let me tell you some of the lies they've told. They've said that it doesn't protect victims. Well, if that is so, why were dozens of victims with us today at a press
[17:03]conference urging this body to pass this legislation? It's because this legislation specifically protects victims. They've said this legislation does not prevent
[17:14]the release of child pornography. Of course, it does. We have a specific provision in our legislation to prevent that. They've said so many falsehoods about this legislation, but now they're
[17:25]going to vote for it. hopefully enthusiastically, but really they've been drugged to this. Our judicial system is broken. If it were working, there wouldn't be a
[17:35]thousand victims who haven't seen justice yet. They are victims of the Epstein class. I I begrudge nobody's success that they become a billionaire. But if you think
[17:47]being a billionaire or buying politicians keeps you out of the judicial system, let you rape young women, lets you traffic women, you've
[17:58]got another thing coming when this bill passes. Do not let the Senate muck this up. There have already been efforts to
[18:06]derail this our our discharge petition. The oversight committee has released thousands, tens of thousands of
[18:15]documents. That's fine. Keep working. How many names have you released? Zero. You are still protecting or the
[18:25]DOJ is protecting pedophiles and sex traffickers. The time for that to stop is now. Now, our speaker says, "Oh, this Senate, this bill needs amended in the
[18:36]Senate." And specifically, he's trying to create a loophole. He's trying to categorize the pedophiles as victims. He's saying, "Oh, we don't embarrass the people that went to the rape island. We
[18:47]should protect those names against uh unreliable accusations." Is he calling all of these victims unreliable?
[18:57]They've testified to the FBI. The FBI has these names in their possession. I asked the FBI director in a hearing, "Have you looked at the documents?" No.
[19:07]He trusts everybody that's been there for decades. That is wrong. Do not let the Senate muck this bill up. And if you are, if you're a party to
[19:18]that in the Senate, you are part of this cover up that we are trying to expose. I am sorry if one of your billionaire donors is going to get embarrassed cuz he went to Rape Island.
[19:30]That is what they have coming. In fact, they need to be on the other side of bars. A lot of them. Some of them will be embarrassed, but some of them need to go to prison and the survivors know
[19:41]that. So, how will we know if this bill has been successful? We will know when there are men, rich men in handcuffs being perpwalked to the jail. And until
[19:53]then, this is still a cover up. I urge my Senate colleagues, do not muck up this bill. The president has already said he will sign it. That means he will
[20:02]sign the bill that we have here today. Do not change this bill. He is ready to sign it. Give it to him. Put it on his desk. Let's get just justice for these
[20:13]victims. With that, I reserve. >> The gentleman from Kentucky reserves. The gentle lady from North Carolina is recognized. >> Reserve. >> The gentle lady reserves.
[20:24]>> Is the gentle lady prepared to close? >> Yes, I am. Mr. Speaker, >> the gentleman from Kentucky is recognized. I yield the remainder of my
[20:33]time to ranking member Mr. McGovern. >> The gentleman from Massachusetts is recognized. >> Thank you. And first, let me say how um much I admire the courage of my Republican colleagues who are beside me
[20:44]here today. Mr. Speaker, uh and at the end of the day, this is not about us. Uh and it's not about politics. This is
[20:53]about the survivors. Young girls who were exploited by powerful men. men who use money and power to take advantage of girl of girls, some as young as 11 years
[21:03]old. The president of the United States calls it all a hoax. Can you imagine that? What an evil and disgusting thing to say. These young girls, now women,
[21:15]the survivors, what happened to them was horrific. They were sexually abused, many of them, for years. And the president of United States calls it all a hoax. What kind of messed up, sick in
[21:26]the head, immoral person says something like that? This bill is about making sure powerful men are held accountable. It's about demanding truth and
[21:36]transparency for the American people. Now, Republican leaders in this House lost control of the story. They lost the ability to hide behind procedure and they lost the luxury of pretending that
[21:47]they were ever on the right side. The American people see it. Survivors see it. And history will see it. and listening to the speaker of the house's press conference today. I mean, it it
[21:58]sounds like he basically wants to kill this whole thing. He's trying to obstruct and derail the process. Why the hell is he fighting so hard to do the opposite of what the survivors want?
[22:09]What an awful, awful thing to do. So, let us release the files. Let's give survivors the transparency they've long been denied. Let us take back power from
[22:20]the rich billionaire elites who think they can do whatever they want with no justice or accountability. And let's remember exactly who had to be dragged
[22:30]here under duress and who stood up from day one demanding the truth. And with that, I yield back. >> Members are reminded to refrain from
[22:42]engaging in personalities towards the president. Gentleman yields back. The gentle lady from North Carolina is recognized.
[22:52]>> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, those of us who did not sign the
[23:03]discharge petition are just as concerned about the victims or if you as some are
[23:14]calling them survivors as our colleagues who signed the discharge petition. We share contempt
[23:25]for anyone who abused anyone else. I've stood on this floor many times, Mr. Speaker, to speak out for victims and
[23:37]survivors of people who who have been abused and against anyone who breaks the
[23:45]law or takes advantage of an innocent person. We will not be characterized as
[23:54]insensitive to that. But what House Republicans who didn't sign the discharge petition
[24:05]remain focused on truth, accountability, and delivering real justice for Epstein victims.
[24:17]Again, I'll point out that it was under President Trump's Department of Justice that Jeffrey Epstein was arrested
[24:27]and tried. We have not tried to avoid this this situation. We want things done the right
[24:37]way. We want maximum justice for these victims and survivors. Our rule today
[24:47]simply expedites consideration of the Massie Kana legislation. And as I said, we would have liked to
[24:56]have seen it passed last week uh when we gave an opportunity for it, but it it
[25:04]was blocked by the Democrat minority leader. I ask for support for this rule, the
[25:15]underlying legislation. With that, I urge my colleagues to vote yes on the previous question, yes on the
[25:25]rule. And Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time and move the previous question on the resolution. >> The gentle lady yields back the balance over time. The question is on ordering
[25:36]the previous question on the resolution. Those in favor say I. Those opposed, no. >> In the opinion of the chair, the nos have it. Mr.
[25:47]>> Speaker, >> in the opinion of the chair, the nos have it. >> Mr. Speaker, >> what the and
[25:58]>> the yays and nays are requested. Those favoring a vote by the yays and nays will rise. A sufficient number having risen, the yays and nays are ordered. Pursuant to
[26:08]clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the
[27:20]chair will postpone further the proceedings today on motions to suspend the rules on which a recorded vote or the yays and nays are ordered or votes objected to under clause six of rule 20.
[27:31]The House will resume proceedings on postponed questions at a later time. For what purpose does the gentleman from Ohio seek recognition? >> Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass HR 4405.
[27:43]>> The clerk will re report the title of the bill. HR 4405, a bill to require the attorney general to release all documents and records in possession of the Department of Justice relating to
[27:55]Jeffrey Epstein and for other purposes. >> Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Jordan, and the gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Raskin, each will control
[28:04]20 minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio. >> 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
[28:15]material on HR 4405. >> Without objection, >> Mr. Speaker, uh I yield myself such time as I may consume. >> The gentleman is recognized. >> We all support holding bad guys
[28:26]accountable and we're all going to vote for this resolution, but I think a little perspective is important. Democrats have had spent six months
[28:37]talking about Epstein even though they 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
[28:48]President Trump. Never forget, they shut down the 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
[28:59]worry about American families. No, no, no. closed the government for a month and a half because it might hurt the president. For the past decade, there's been one
[29:11]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
[29:22]two. Then it was all the lawfare. Alvin Bragg, Fonnie Willis, Leticia James. Then it was Arctic Frost investigation at the Justice Department surveilling
[29:32]United States senators and congressmen 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
[29:43]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
[29:54]Michael Cohen was their witness in another effort to go after the president. Americans see through it all. And
[30:03]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
[30:14]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
[30:25]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
[30:37]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
[30:45]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
[30:55]know one thing. It is real. Which brings me to last week. Think about what the Democrats did last week.
[31:05]The Democrats released an email that the 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
[31:17]name. Something we all support, something everyone supports, except except in this case, no court had ordered that name redacted, no agency
[31:28]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
[31:39]book and had testified under oath that she never saw any wrongdoing by President Trump. So think about what they did in an email
[31:49]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. And
[32:01]we know why. to distort and twist the message because they thought it might harm the president. Their position, their position. Cover up
[32:12]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
[32:24]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.
[32:35]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
[32:46]from Maryland is recognized. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. The gentleman's recognized. >> Today, 4 months and 3 days after Mr. Khan and Mr. Massie introduced their
[32:58]discharge petition, perhaps the most famous discharge petition in American history. The People's House unites across party lines to draw a moral line.
[33:08]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
[33:19]service the pleasure of rich and powerful men who believe they are beyond all law and all morality. We draw a line
[33:28]to put the voices of the victims and the survivors first. We ask the Senate to join us without changes rather than obstruct this bill with dilatory
[33:39]amendments, legislative graffiti, and self-deing millionoll jackpot provisions for lucky senators just passed the bill. We're finally voting today because a
[33:51]bipartisan discharge petition led uh by representatives Massie and Connor and signed by 218 of us overthrew the
[34:00]determined obstruction of the speaker. This forced vote means the House will no longer acquies in this astonishing
[34:10]realtime cover up of a multibillion dollar global sex trafficking and child rape ring that has ravaged the lives of
[34:20]more than a thousand girls and young women. We are here today because these victims, these survivors, these citizens, these inspiring women who have
[34:31]come to Washington are demanding nothing less than justice and the complete truth about who is responsible for their vicious abuse, including those
[34:41]responsible for enabling it, ignoring it, bankrolling it, and covering it up. We join them today in rejecting any more
[34:51]dangerous lies about the crimes they suffered. No, child sex abuse is not a hoax. It's a crime. Human trafficking is
[35:02]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
[35:12]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
[35:23]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
[35:35]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
[35:46]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
[35:56]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.
[36:06]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
[36:16]Epstein an unbelievable sweetheart plea deal, immunized unnamed conspirators, and killed an investigation into Epstein's financial crimes that could
[36:27]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
[36:38]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
[36:49]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
[36:59]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
[37:10]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
[37:21]the survivors of these appalling crimes. To date, the oversight committee has released more than 65,000 pages of
[37:29]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
[37:40]Justice materials and access to suspicious activity reports. Unfortunately, throughout this investigation, Democrats have chosen to manufacture yet another anti-Trump hoax
[37:51]instead of pursuing justice. They have mischaracterized witness testimony and selectively released documents complete with targeted
[38:01]redactions in an effort to smear President Trump. For example, former US Attorney General Bill Barr, who oversaw
[38:10]the 2019 Epstein investigation, stated clearly under oath that the prosecution team found no evidence that President
[38:20]Trump committed wrongdoing. Despite this simple and straightforward fact, ranking member Robert Garcia,
[38:30]moments after that deposition, tiptoed out and publicly claimed that quote, "Bar could not clear Trump of
[38:39]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
[38:50]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
[39:02]dismantled the Democrats narrative. His testimony confirmed there was no contact between President Trump and Mr. Aosta and no connection between President
[39:11]Trump in the Epstein case. Next, Democrats resorted to selective leaks and doctorred documents to mislead the American people. Oversight committee Republicans have posted 65,000 pages of
[39:23]documents we have received to date. Democrats, by contrast, have released fewer than one dozen. In their latest selective leak,
[39:32]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
[39:43]the context and the meaning of the three pages they released. When CNN CNN called them out for their deceptive
[39:54]redactions, Representatives Stanberry and Crockett tried to blame Republicans for their own edits, for the Democrat Oversight Committee edits. After
[40:06]Democrats released only three emails, Republicans released over 23,000 pages. And what did Democrats say in response when we released every single document
[40:16]that we got? They claim full transparency was meant to quote disorient or distract from their manufactured narrative. These are the
[40:26]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
[40:38]hypocrisy. In contrast, full transparency exposed how Epstein appears to be TDS patient zero. The emails re
[40:47]reveal a journalist coached Epstein to blackmail then presidential candidate Donald Trump. >> We have additional minute to >> the gentleman's recognized. The files
[40:58]also show that a House Democrat colluded with Epstein during the 2019 oversight hearing to discredit Witness with a vendetta against President Trump. And
[41:09]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
[41:19]with Hakee Jeff as part of their 2013 effort to to build to win a majority. So, Hakeem Jeff campaign solicited money from Jeffrey
[41:30]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
[41:41]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
[41:51]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.
[42:03]>> 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 Oversight Committee, and they've spoken almost exclusively to denounce Democrats. We
[42:14]have a bipartisan coalition here demanding the truth about the largest child sex abuse and trafficking ring perhaps in American history, certainly
[42:24]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
[42:36]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
[42:46]me. You're not recognized, whoever is 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
[42:58]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
[43:09]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
[43:21]Justice to release the files. And let's be crystal clear, Trump has the power to release the files today. He does not
[43:30]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
[43:41]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
[43:53]monster Gain Maxwell to a cushy lowcurity 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
[44:05]commutation. >> The gentle time is expired. 30 more seconds. >> Oh, 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
[44:16]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
[44:27]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, speaker. I yield a minute and a half to the distinguished gentleman from California, member of the judiciary
[44:38]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
[44:48]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
[44:59]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
[45:10]every newspaper, on every t TV channel, as has the broader American public. This issue has been so politicized by so many
[45:20]people in so many ways, which is deeply unfortunate when we're talking about matters of the highest sensitivity and
[45:28]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
[45:38]expeditious release of all pertinent material so that we can move on. Let's get accountability. Let's get answers
[45:48]and let's get this over with. I yield back. >> The gentleman yields back. >> Yeah, we reserve. >> The gentleman from Maryland is recognized. I yield one minute to the very distinguished gentle lady from
[45:59]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
[46:10]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
[46:21]bring a few of the courageous survivors and their names onto the House floor right here as we debate this. Haley Robson,
[46:31]Jenna, Lisa Jones, Michelle Lacata, Ashley Rubit, Annie Farmer, Marina Lera,
[46:42]Rachel Benvdz. These women have carried a burden that they never should have had to bear. And today they demand, we demand, the
[46:52]American people demand that we answer their clarion call to justice. Today, despite all the giant coverup attempts by this administration and this speaker
[47:02]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
[47:12]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
[47:23]gentle lady's 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.
[47:35]>> 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
[47:46]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
[47:57]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
[48:09]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
[48:19]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
[48:29]participation. their lives are forever ruined. And I'm reading specifically from the petition's language that prohibited grounds for withholding
[48:39]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
[48:50]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
[49:00]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
[49:10]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
[49:21]California, Representative Kuger Dove. >> The gentle lady from California is recognized. >> Mr. Speaker, one in three women and girls around the world are physically
[49:30]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
[49:42]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
[49:51]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.
[50:03]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
[50:12]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
[50:24]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.
[50:36]>> 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.
[50:46]>> 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
[50:56]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?
[51:07]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
[51:19]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
[51:29]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 Placet, who literally texted with
[51:41]Jeffrey 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.
[51:52]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
[52:02]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
[52:13]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
[52:24]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
[52:35]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
[52:46]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.
[52:57]>> Thank you. Thank you. 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
[53:09]the victims and survivors of Jeffrey Epstein. This is about every victim of trafficking and sexual abuse, monstrous
[53:18]crimes that thrive in secrecy and fear. Yet, instead of shining a light on that darkness, just moments ago, Donald Trump
[53:28]defended the continued obstruction of releasing these files. Even as House Republicans prepare to vote yes today,
[53:38]Speaker Johnson is calling this a show vote. He's calling it dangerous. He is signaling the US Senate to block it.
[53:48]Republicans continue to use their power to shield rich pedophiles from justice. If you can't stand up for these
[53:57]survivors, how can anyone trust you to stand up for them? I yield back. >> The gentle lady yields back. >> We The gentleman reserves.
[54:08]>> 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
[54:19]under the Biden administration? Well, under the Biden administration, Gain Maxwell was prosecuted for conspiring to sexually abuse and traffic girls in
[54:28]2020, right? When in uh in in 2021, she was convicted. In December of 2021, uh, after a month-long trial in Judge
[54:38]Nathan's courtroom, in 2022, Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison under the Biden administration for sex trafficking and sexual abuse of
[54:48]minors. 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
[54:58]terminated the 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
[55:09]Epstein files. 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.
[55:19]Release the files. Second, we must face a hard truth. Silence that shields the powerful is a betrayal of those they hurt. Congress must reject any attempt,
[55:30]including a presidential pardon or any form of clemency for Glaine Maxwell. This cannot be done. This would be a cover up. We cannot allow clemency of
[55:40]any kind for Maxwell. Not now, not ever. Survivors deserve justice. I urge a strong yes vote. Thank you. >> That's back. >> I want to thank the gentleman for for
[55:51]his eloquent remarks. Pardons are for 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,
[56:03]vocally denounce the idea of clemency, commutation, or pardon for Gla Maxwell. And we reserve. >> The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. >> Yeah, we reserve. Mr. Speaker, the
[56:13]gentleman reserves. >> I yield 30 seconds to Miss Leisure Fernandez. >> The gentle lady is recognized. There were thousands of girls and young
[56:25]women abused, trafficked, and used by Epstein, the elite, and the powerful who believed they could get away with it. Epstein told the young victims that he
[56:36]controlled the banks and the government. Those women refused to be silenced, and today they have pierced the dark with
[56:45]their light. Anytime any girl is trafficked, molested, or abused, the world must stand up. Today, the House
[56:54]proves Jeffrey Epstein wrong. The Senate must do the same tomorrow. >> We reserve. >> The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield two minutes to the gentleman from uh from
[57:06]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. Mr. Speaker, a million minute and a half
[57:17]or an hour, the words would still have to be the same. We've all said that this will pass the House perhaps unanimously today. I think all of us who have looked
[57:29]at the details of this particular uh 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
[57:40]amended in the Senate. And we call on the Senate to amend it so that we protect the innocent, so that we have the provisions that were intended
[57:50]perhaps to be in this bill, but are not properly written. With that, President Trump has said, "Get it to his desk. He will sign it." President Trump has said
[58:02]he will do it. But I'm going to say to all of us, it is also important that we remember that Epstein is dead, but people live on. People who were
[58:13]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
[58:24]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
[58:35]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
[58:46]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
[58:58]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
[59:09]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
[59:19]the complete file. I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentle lady from Arizona, Representative Ansari. >> The gentle lady is is recognized. >> Mr. Speaker, the walls are closing in on Donald Trump and his rich and powerful
[59:31]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
[59:42]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
[59:54]White House and Mike Johnson in the House has been complicit. What is Trump hiding? Why not release the files today? This is a >> time is expired. >> Release the files today. Thank you. >> The gentle release time is reserved.
[1:00:06]>> The The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield two minutes to distinguished gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Van Drew. >> The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized.
[1:00:16]>> 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
[1:00:26]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
[1:00:38]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
[1:00:48]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
[1:00:59]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
[1:01:11]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
[1:01:21]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
[1:01:31]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
[1:01:43]a protecting abused children. The record is clear. under Republicans. Far more information has been released in the last 6 months than was done during all
[1:01:53]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
[1:02:03]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,
[1:02:15]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.
[1:02:25]Cruelty, humiliation, and rape. And that's what we're working on. I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from California, Mr. Mint. >> The gentleman from California is recognized. I want to remind you that we
[1:02:36]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
[1:02:46]Johnson and President Trump have gone to extraordinary lengths to try to kill and delay the discharge petition, including refusing to seat Adalita Grahalva for over 40 days and threatening House
[1:02:56]Republicans who signed on. Now, several of my Republican colleagues have accused those of us House Democrats who support justice here of having Trump deranged syndrome. You all suffer from something much worse, which is pedophile
[1:03:07]protection syndrome. Stop protecting pedophiles. Release the Epstein files. The victims deserve justice. I yield back. >> We reserve. >> Members are reminded to direct their
[1:03:18]comments to the chair. >> The gentleman from Maryland reserves. >> The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. >> We reserve. >> The gentleman from Ohio reserves. The gentleman from Maryland.
[1:03:28]>> I'm granting uh yielding 30 seconds to my friend, Representative Walkinshaw from Virginia. >> The gentleman's recognized. >> For years, Mr. Speaker, we have watched dangerous conspiracies like Pizzagate
[1:03:39]and QAnon shape our political landscape. They helped fuel the rise of President Trump and were built on baseless claims about secret pedophile rings. While the
[1:03:49]real documented case of child sex trafficking involving Jeffrey Epstein remains shrouded in secrecy because President Trump refuses to release the
[1:03:59]files. What is President Trump hiding? Why won't he release the files? The House finally has the opportunity to act. Release the files and let the American
[1:04:11]people truth. I yield back. >> The gentleman yields back. We reserve. The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. We reserve. >> Gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized.
[1:04:22]>> Granting 30 seconds to the very distinguished gentle lady who is finally with us. Representative Adalita Grahalva from Arizona 7th. >> The gentle lady is recognized.
[1:04:32]>> Thank you. Uh Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the survivors, family members, and advocates who are here today and have never given up. The legislation in front of us at its core
[1:04:43]is about something very simple. The survivors deserve justice. The American people deserve the truth. To every survivor watching, your courage is inspiring. You are the reason why this
[1:04:54]vote is happening today. Protecting women and children from pedophiles should not be a democratic issue. Should not be a Republican issue. It should be a human rights issue and a matter of
[1:05:05]justice. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on the transparency act. I yield back. Thank you. >> Thank you. And we reserve. The chair will remind all persons in the
[1:05:16]gallery that they they are here as guests of the house and that any manifestation of approval or disapproval of proceedings is in violation of the rules of the house.
[1:05:28]The gentleman from Maryland. >> Yeah. But I'll just add they're here as 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.
[1:05:39]>> The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Maryland. Uh, I'm granting 30 seconds to Representative Lois Frankl from Florida. The gentle lady from Florida is recognized. >> Mr. Speaker, for far too long, the
[1:05:50]survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse were failed by a justice system that minimized their suffering and prosecutors who treated young girls as if they were criminals. That was wrong.
[1:06:00]And I am here with my colleagues to promise this. We will get to the bottom of why the Epstein survivors were treated so badly. Who made those decisions? And who were they protecting?
[1:06:11]No more secrecy. No more excuses. We all deserve the truth. And I thank the survivors for their courage and perseverance. Your voices are being heard.
[1:06:23]>> The gentle lady yields back. The gentleman we reser reserves the balance of his time. The gentleman from Ohio. >> 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.
[1:06:34]>> Gentleman from Louisiana is recognized. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Chairman Jordan, for doing such an extraordinary job on all this. For 43 long days, the Democrats held this House
[1:06:45]and the entire country hostage. Finally, with the lights back on, this body is returning to our regular legislative session. We have a lot of work to do. My colleagues on this side of the chamber
[1:06:55]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 continue lowering the cost of healthcare. We've got to bring down prices for American families. and we got
[1:07:05]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 get to those urgent priorities. But of course, we're here spending time on the
[1:07:17]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 support of the body. But our friends
[1:07:27]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 show vote. That's what this is. They're making a show of it. And it
[1:07:39]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. They have they have come forward. They have shown their
[1:07:48]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 service to the country. They were they were seeking justice and the
[1:08:00]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 we're in this process of making sure all
[1:08:11]the American people get the the information. But we have to do it in the right way. The right way. After four years of Democratic control under President Biden, they were not truthful with us about a lot of things. The
[1:08:23]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 obvious mental and physical decline of
[1:08:34]the previous commander-in-chief. And now those same Democrats are demanding transparency. Transparency is their new word. Out of nowhere, they've taken a curious concern in the Epstein
[1:08:46]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 everybody questioning why it is the
[1:08:56]Democrats have done this right now have to look at the obvious facts. The Democrats had all the Epstein files in their possession for four long years under the Biden presidency. The Biden
[1:09:08]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. And it was the Democrats who could have urged President Biden's Department of
[1:09:20]Justice to go beyond prosecuting just Epstein and Gelain Maxwell, but they didn't do it. And so, it's a fair question to ask today, why now? Why the
[1:09:30]sudden urgent interest in Jeffrey Epstein? Look, we know why. It's because the Democrats were never interested in transparency or executing justice or protecting the victims of this
[1:09:40]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 I I wish that was not the truth, but it
[1:09:50]is. And it's undeniable. This is as deceitful and dishonest as their pointless stunt was to shut the government down. Democrats are using the
[1:10:01]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
[1:10:11]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
[1:10:22]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
[1:10:32]understand. We have been advocates of maximum transparency, but we have also insisted that the victims be carefully protected. The oversight committee has been doing extraordinary work and we've
[1:10:44]got some of 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
[1:10:54]to do it in a responsible manner. What 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.
[1:11:05]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
[1:11:16]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
[1:11:27]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
[1:11:39]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
[1:11:49]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 unsubstantiated documents that may be included in this that are
[1:12:00]going to be in the public 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
[1:12:12]when this legislation is 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
[1:12:24]website speaker.gov a summary the 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 spoken today were. We understand the dangers of how this was
[1:12:34]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,
[1:12:45]"How the flaws of HR4405 Could revictimize Epstein's victims, Create New Victims, and Damaged the Judicial System." It is dated today.
[1:12:54]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
[1:13:06]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
[1:13:16]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
[1:13:27]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
[1:13:37]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 discharge petition they have to agree to consent for the the legislation to be amended and
[1:13:49]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
[1:14:01]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
[1:14:11]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
[1:14:22]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
[1:14:34]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
[1:14:43]corrected. I I'll just um I'll just close with this um this simple thought. Uh we we've been at this a while. um it's strugg
[1:14:54]uh it's time for this to come to light. We we are I I expect that I expect that 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
[1:15:04]least in recent days every member of the chamber on the Democrat side. They didn't say anything for four years but they're for maximum transparency now and so is this side. But we want to do it in a respectful and and careful manner so
[1:15:16]that we don't subject innocent people to further harm. And that has been the whole 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.
[1:15:28]Thank you for the time, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back. >> Gentleman reserves. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized. >> I'm yielding to Mr. Gomez for the sole purpose of making a parliamentary inquiry.
[1:15:39]>> Mr. Gomez is recognized. >> 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 in their so-called one big
[1:15:51]beautiful bill after Donald Trump, someone connected to one of the most notorious pedophiles in this country, or that the SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE JUSTIFIED ON THE floor by stating that there was protection
[1:16:03]protections for the victims in the Epstein bill. The >> gentleman is no longer recognized. Gentleman from Maryland, you are recognized. >> Thank you. I I am uh prepared to close.
[1:16:13]I've got no more speakers on my side. >> The gentleman reserves. Gentleman from Ohio is recognized. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. >> No, no.
[1:16:26]>> Gentleman from Ohio has 30 seconds. >> You could remain. >> Can I inquire how much time is remaining?
[1:16:37]>> 30 seconds. 6 minutes 15 seconds. >> Take 30 his. >> We reserve.
[1:16:49]>> 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
[1:16:59]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
[1:17:08]is urgent legislative work. The truth is urgent legislative work. The speaker says, "Why now? Why now?"
[1:17:19]Well, Mr. Speaker, you were the one who refused to swear in Adelita Graava for 50 days. We would have done it 50 days ago, but she provided the 218 signature
[1:17:29]on 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
[1:17:40]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
[1:17:50]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
[1:18:00]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,
[1:18:12]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
[1:18:24]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.
[1:18:34]Mr. Speaker, Speaker Johnson said that these are unspeakable evils. Well, because of the
[1:18:45]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
[1:18:56]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
[1:19:07]appointment in the Trump administration. Alex Acasta had a 60count federal indictment ready to go against all kinds of people for an interstate sex
[1:19:18]trafficking conspiracy with solicitation with child sex abuse all of it. And he traded that 60count federal indictment
[1:19:27]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
[1:19:39]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
[1:19:49]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
[1:20:01]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?
[1:20:10]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
[1:20:21]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
[1:20:33]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
[1:20:41]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
[1:20:52]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
[1:21:04]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
[1:21:14]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
[1:21:26]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
[1:21:37]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
[1:21:47]the Justice Department. 65,000 pages of documents are related from Epste. What have my Democrat colleagues done? They selectively leaked and altered documents to mislead the American people. As
[1:21:59]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.
[1:22:09]>> Gentleman's time is expired. >> Gentleman from Maryland is recognized. >> Reserve the balance of my time. >> Gentleman reserves. >> Reserves. >> Gentleman uh from Ohio reserves.
[1:22:20]Gentleman 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
[1:22:31]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
[1:22:43]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
[1:22:55]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
[1:23:05]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
[1:23:15]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.
[1:23:25]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
[1:23:34]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.
[1:23:44]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
[1:23:56]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
[1:24:06]done here. And while he's at it, the administration could reconsider their terrible policies, gutting federal offices and programs designed to combat
[1:24:16]violence against women. The DOJ terminated hundreds of grants to police departments, defunding the police when it comes to investigating violent sex
[1:24:26]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.
[1:24:37]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 these guys?
[1:24:48]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, released that report and it said exactly
[1:24:59]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
[1:25:09]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
[1:25:21]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
[1:25:31]to do that. Speaker Johnson's right. I think it's going to be unanimous, but understand what they're doing because they had four years and didn't do a darn thing. With that, I yield back.
[1:25:41]>> Gentleman yields back. The question is, will the House suspend the rules and pass the bill HR4405? Those in favor say I.
[1:25:52]>> Those opposed say no. >> In the opinion of the chair chair, twothirds being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended. The bill is passed and can request a recorded vote. Mr. The
[1:26:02]gentleman from Maryland is recognized. >> Yeah, I'm requesting a recorded vote. >> Gentleman from Maryland has requested a recorded vote. Those favoring a recorded vote will rise.
[1:26:14]A sufficient number having risen, a recorded vote is ordered. Members will record their votes by electronic device. Pursuant to clause nine of rule 20, this
[1:26:24]15minute vote on the motion to suspend the rules will be followed by fiveminute votes on ordering the previous question on House Resolution 879, adoption of
[1:26:35]House Resolution 879 if ordered and adoption of House Resolution 878. This is a 15minute vote. Heat. Heat.
[1:31:16]Oh my goodness. [Music] Heat. Heat.
[1:32:50]Heat. Heat. Heat.
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[1:36:01]Heat. Heat. [Music] Good morning.
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[1:38:23][Music] Hallelujah.
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[1:41:48]Hallelujah. [Music]
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[1:46:16][Music] Hallelujah. [Music]
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[1:53:05]On this vote, the yays are 427, the nays are one. 2/3 being in the affirmative. The rules are suspended.
[1:53:16]The bill is passed and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.
[1:53:23][Applause] [Applause]
[1:53:44][Music] Pursuant to clause 8, rule 20, the unfinished business is the vote on ordering the previous question on House Resolution 8. >> Coming on the air with breaking news just seconds ago, a landslide vote in
[1:53:56]the House of Representatives on a bill that would try to force the release of DOJ documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. What started as a longshot bid months ago, now one step closer to
[1:54:06]becoming law. This was a nearly unanimous vote. The final vote 427 to1 just hours after some Epstein survivors gathered at the capital to rally support. So next step the Senate and
[1:54:17]then on to the White House for the president to sign this into law if it passes that chamber. The president now says he'll do that in a surprising political pivot after months of resistance to backing the bill. Joining us now is our chief Capitol Hill
[1:54:29]correspondent Ryan Nobles. And Ryan, this vote just seconds ago now takes this one step closer to reality for the survivors and other advocates who have been fighting for it. The question had
[1:54:39]been just how many Republicans would get on board. The answer appears to be all but one. >> That's right, Hie. And as this resolution was officially gled and signed through the House of
[1:54:51]Representatives, there were cheers in the gallery just a few feet from where I'm standing. And we're told that there were survivors of the Epstein saga that were in the gallery watching as this vote took place. And you're right, it
[1:55:03]was an overwhelming passage. 427 voting in the affirmative, only one nay and that is uh Congressman Klay Higgins who released a statement saying that he is
[1:55:12]what he described a principled no on this saying that he has issues with the bill and of course Republicans in Congress including the speaker of the house have said from the very beginning uh that they had issues with the way
[1:55:23]that this uh discharge petition as it's called uh came to be. The discharge petition is a maneuver that rank and file House members can use to bring a piece of legislation to the floor
[1:55:34]outside of House leadership. Uh this was initially something that Republicans fought uh right up until the last minute. There was a group of breakaway Republicans that joined with Democrats to force this to the floor. But once it
[1:55:45]became a reality that this was something that House members were going to be forced to vote on, uh, Republicans quickly came around and decided that it was responsible and smart for them to vote yes, including the speaker himself.
[1:55:57]Uh, today though, he did hold a press conference and discuss his issues with the bill. He's concerned that it doesn't do enough to protect survivors, that it could uh, uh, put potential victims of
[1:56:07]child sex abuse at risk of their information uh, being made public and that it could compromise future investigations. the supporter of this package say that they've written the the bill in a way that that would solve and
[1:56:18]and and deal with all these issues that the speaker has. Uh he's asking the Senate to change it, Hie. And of course, that is the next big question we have is how the Senate will deal with this. And we could find that out here in the next
[1:56:30]hour or so when the Senate convenes. >> Explain that, Ryan, because you now have the top Senate Democrat, Chuck Schumer, suggesting that he will try to bring this to the floor. He will try to take action possibly in the next several
[1:56:41]hours here tonight. Of course, it would need Republican support. What are you hearing from that side of the capital? >> Well, there's two ways that this could go once it reaches the Senate, Hie. There's a very quick way, and then
[1:56:52]there's a much more lengthy and arduous process that this resolution could take. If they take the route that Speaker Johnson is suggesting, it could delay the passage and the release of these
[1:57:01]files indefinitely. Speaker Johnson is asking for a long list of amendments to be added to this bill. uh that would require deliberations and negotiations among senators uh to craft the language
[1:57:13]that would make them feel more comfortable with voting yes. It would then have to come back here to the House for another vote before it made it to the president's desk. This doesn't seem to be something that most rank and file Republicans want to deal with right now
[1:57:24]because it keeps the story in the forefront. It's something that we'll continue to ask questions about. The other alternative they have is that they can do as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has suggested and just bring the
[1:57:34]floor the bill to the floor this afternoon and vote on it perhaps even by a vehicle called unanimous consent where they just put it on the floor and say, "Is everybody okay with this?" And if no one objects, the bill passes. Uh that
[1:57:46]would prevent Republicans from having to deal with a continued questions about this and it would also send the bill to President Trump's desk uh as soon as this evening. Now, we don't know which
[1:57:57]way the Senate Majority Leader John Thoon wants to go as it relates to this package. He's deflected all questions about the Epstein saga from the very beginning, saying that this resolution
[1:58:07]was just a hypothetical issue because the Senate or the House had yet to pass it. It is no longer a hypothetical issue. It is something he's going to have to deal with. And Hie, we've talked to many Republicans already on the Senate side who said that the bill
[1:58:19]should come to the floor and that they plan to vote yes. So much like how we saw it play out here in the House. If it makes it to the floor, it will absolutely get at least the 60 votes necessary. The question right now is in
[1:58:30]the hands of John Thun as to when the bill could make it to the floor and how quickly there'll be a vote. >> Right. I'm going to ask you to stand by for just a moment while we bring in our senior White House correspondent Garrett Hake. And Garrett, we referenced the
[1:58:40]president's uh surprising reversal on this after months of resistance to backing the bill, saying this week that he would greenlight the GOP to back it, that he would in fact sign it into law. But there's another piece to this too,
[1:58:52]right? Which is some lawmakers suggesting that the president could avoid the Senate vote altogether. He could avoid having Congress manage this by simply directing the DOJ to release the files now himself. He was pressed
[1:59:03]about this today, right? >> Yeah, that's right. And he really didn't answer. And this has been one of the interesting kind of riddles at the heart of this. I mean, this is a president who's never been shy about urging his
[1:59:14]attorney general or Department of Justice to take specific actions in a way previous presidents would not have. here. There's a very clear action he could have taken if we take his words at face value that he wants to see
[1:59:25]transparency here and wants to put this issue behind him and could simply pick up the phone or use his social media platform to call for the complete release of the relevant files, a step he
[1:59:35]has chosen not to take. Yesterday though, he did say in the Oval Office when I asked him that he would sign this bill if it got to his desk, clearing up any confusion about whether he wants to see it simply pass the House and get
[1:59:46]bogged down in the Senate. Uh to Ryan's point, that could potentially happen as early as today. Uh but that's not to say that the files would suddenly come spilling out into the open then. Even
[1:59:56]with uh the legislative uh path cleared and a presidential signature, Hi, there's still a pretty lengthy process potentially here before we'll see the meat of what could be millions of
[2:00:07]different types of digital and physical files in the government's possession. Ryan, let me go back to you here because one of the things that we covered earlier today, this rally at the base of the capital involving not just the
[2:00:18]lawmakers behind this bipartisan bill, but also Epstein abuse survivors. You're seeing some of that video here who have been pushing now for months. And in my conversations with several of these survivors, one of the things I heard again and again was that they felt like
[2:00:30]at every turn they were told that what they were trying for, the release of these files, was impossible. Now, here they are one step closer to getting what so many of them say they want to see,
[2:00:41]which is full transparency, full accountability. Um, they have been having, you know, they've been talking to members of Congress. They've been releasing PSAs to try to get public support for this bill. And they believe
[2:00:52]that Americans are on their side when you look at the polling, when you look at the numbers on this. >> And Ally, I think they're right. And I think that's evidenced by the vote total you saw here. I I think you know what
[2:01:03]Republican leadership has tried to say o over the past few months as this debate has emerged over whether or not this resolution should pass that somehow Democrats that are have been the ones pushing it and certainly Democrats have
[2:01:15]gotten involved in this and Democrats have in many ways put pressure on Republicans uh to get this bill to the floor but it's really been the Republican base fueled in many ways by the stories of these survivors uh that
[2:01:26]has gotten us to this point. Uh it has been uh Republicans who are having their offices uh get countless phone calls from their constituents demanding accountability for the Epstein files. It
[2:01:37]was something that Donald Trump ran on uh in his campaign for president uh in this last election cycle. So uh this is has become somewhat of an organic movement that really crosses party
[2:01:47]lines. Uh and it's really been these heartfelt courageous stories from the survivors of this saga that have kind of driven that. And when Speaker Johnson today talks about his desire to protect
[2:01:59]the innocent uh folks that have been caught up in this controversy, um it comes at the same time that these survivors just earlier today passionately uh made the case that this
[2:02:09]resolution needs to be passed because this information needs to get out uh and that it's been covered up for far too long. So uh that's why many of them were in the gallery to watch this vote take
[2:02:20]place because they feel so strongly about it. But you're you're very right, Hi, and you've talked to these survivors more than anyone I know. Uh the idea that they would get to this stage where they would see such an overwhelming vote
[2:02:30]given how long of the atrocities of Jeffrey Epstein have been covered up, uh it certainly must be a remarkable day for them. Still a long way to go before they get the full accountability they're
[2:02:41]looking for, but this is a a pretty miraculous step given where this controversy was even 5 years ago. To that point, Ryan, I'm thinking about one conversation I had earlier today with an Epstein survivor who said, "This is
[2:02:52]really the starting point now with a potentially long road ahead." Garrett, let me go back to you here for a moment because President Trump talked about his relationship, his association with his
[2:03:02]one-time friend Jeffrey Epstein just in the last couple of hours at the White House in the Oval Office. Let me play that. >> Uh, as far as the Epstein files is, I
[2:03:13]have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epste. I threw him out of my club many years ago cuz I thought he was a sick pervert. But I guess I turned out to be right. >> The president has repeatedly been
[2:03:25]frustrated, Garrett, by questions that he would take from reporters from others about the Epstein case. In part, as he's described it, um, as a hoax, in part because he fears, it sounds like, based
[2:03:36]on his comments, that it overshadows other of his presidential priorities. Garrett? Yeah, that's exactly what the president told me yesterday that he sees this as a distraction from the things that he's been able to accomplish in
[2:03:47]this second term in particular. He compares it unfavorably, as you might imagine, to the Russia investigation that was a cloud over his first term as a similar kind of issue in the sense
[2:03:57]that he says he believes he has done nothing wrong and that no amount of information that comes out uh seems to satisfy the people who are critical of him on this issue. He has gone on to say
[2:04:09]that he believes this is more of a problem for Democrats and has gone so far onto it that he's encouraged his uh Department of Justice to open any investigations into Democrats who might have been involved with Jeffrey Epstein
[2:04:21]or who might be mentioned in some way in the files. Hi, that obviously creates another problem for his Department of Justice and his FBI which said publicly in July that there is no information in these files that could predicate even
[2:04:32]opening any additional investigations. And Ryan, in the bill, there is a provision that would allow the DOJ to withhold certain pieces of information that would be relevant to an active
[2:04:43]investigation. That seems to be one of the big question marks, right, if this does pass, Ryan, how the release of these files actually does happen. >> Yeah, it does really feel like Speaker Johnson is kind of splitting hairs with
[2:04:55]the language in this resolution uh as part of his reluctance to fully embrace it. one of my colleagues uh today in the press conference with Speaker Johnson actually read the resolution to him and
[2:05:05]and point by point went through how each one of these things that he's concerned about is addressed in the resolution and then he went into further minutia into the bills and how they could potentially be interpreted. Uh it does give the
[2:05:17]Department of Justice pretty wide purview uh in terms of protecting these things that he's concerned about in terms of redacting the names of potential victims and not getting in the way of potential investigations. Uh the
[2:05:28]laundry list goes on and on. I I think what frustrates the survivors so much is that every single time they think they're on the verge of some sort of transparency when it comes to this
[2:05:39]issue, they're another roadblock is thrown in the way. And often it's a roadblock under the guise of some sort of protection or uh some way to uh prevent this process from moving
[2:05:50]forward. They're just sick of the delays at this point. And I think they they would prefer to have some sort of pressure put on the Department of Justice to reveal this information sooner rather than later. And I also
[2:06:02]think there is a bit of a concern from the survivors that it's not necessarily just about people
[2:06:10]complicit in crimes. Um, you know, there is a belief that anybody involved with Jeffrey Epstein on some level uh deserves uh some sort of recognition as
[2:06:20]a result of that and uh that and we're already seeing that happen. Prince Andrew, for instance, uh is somebody that has really kind of fallen from public grace as a result of it. So, uh
[2:06:30]there there's a lot that the survivors want that they feel like they have not been getting from Congress >> and the fallout from the Epstein controversy continuing to grow. Ryan Nobles, Garrett Hake, thank you both very much. As we conclude our NBC News
[2:06:41]special report after that landslide vote in the House of Representatives, we'll have much more ahead on your local station over on our streaming channel NBC News Now and online at NBCNews.com. We'll see you tonight on Nightly News.
[2:06:52]I'm hi