Epstein files petition reaches 218 signatures for House vote

Petition reaches voting threshold

US Republican Representative Thomas Massie said Wednesday that his discharge petition for the Epstein Files Transparency Act II had reached 218 signatures, the threshold required to force a vote in the House of Representatives.

On the US social media platform X, Massie said, “This morning we reached the required 218 signatures on my discharge petition for Epstein Files Transparency Act II!” The Kentucky Republican said he was working with Democratic Representatives Pramila Jayapal, Teresa Leger Fernandez and Ro Khanna to “get this to the floor for a vote soon.”

Bill's congressional backing

Massie introduced the bill on July 15 alongside Khanna and Leger Fernandez, while Democratic Senators Jeff Merkley and Ben Ray Lujan are leading its Senate version.

The measure would allow state attorneys general, district attorneys, members of Congress and Epstein’s victims to sue the US attorney general for withholding, redacting, delaying or failing to publish Epstein-related records.

Access to unredacted records

Victims would also receive access to full, unredacted records about themselves, including FBI interview reports. The bill would require the Justice Department to provide state and local prosecutors with the unredacted records they need, including secure access to classified materials.

In a July 15 statement introducing the bill, Massie said, “Since the Epstein Files Transparency Act was signed into law on November 19, 2025, the Department of Justice has flagrantly and consistently ignored EFTA’s disclosure requirements.” He added, “The Department of Justice continues to unlawfully withhold over 3 million Epstein files that should be released to the public. In addition, the DOJ is unlawfully maintaining heavy redactions on the files it is releasing.”