From ABC News: After months of anticipation, the House of Representatives on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a bill ordering the release of the Justice Department’s files on late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
It passed 427-1 — with GOP Rep. Clay Higgins as the only vote against the measure.
The bill will now head to the Senate, where its fate is uncertain.
Ahead of the vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson said, “This is a political exercise for Democrats, and it pains me to say it. I wish it was not the truth, but it is, and it’s undeniable.”
However, Johnson said it’s time all this comes to light, and noted that the only concern is respecting the privacy rights of the victims. He stressed that if the senate takes up the bill, provisions should be added to protect the privacy of the victims and whistleblowers.
.@SpeakerJohnson complete remarks during House debate on releasing Epstein files: “This is a political exercise for Democrats, and it pains me to say it. I wish it was not the truth, but it is, and it’s undeniable.” pic.twitter.com/8uyhDjcH6u
— CSPAN (@cspan) November 18, 2025
Rep. Higgins explained in a statement on X why he voted “no” on the bill. He wrote:
“I have been a principled “NO” on this bill from the beginning. What was wrong with the bill three months ago is still wrong today. It abandons 250 years of criminal justice procedure in America. As written, this bill reveals and injures thousands of innocent people – witnesses, people who provided alibis, family members, etc. If enacted in its current form, this type of broad reveal of criminal investigative files, released to a rabid media, will absolutely result in innocent people being hurt. Not by my vote.
“The Oversight Committee is conducting a thorough investigation that has already released well over 60,000 pages of documents from the Epstein case. That effort will continue in a manner that provides all due protections for innocent Americans. If the Senate amends the bill to properly address privacy of victims and other Americans, who are named but not criminally implicated, then I will vote for that bill when it comes back to the House.”
I have been a principled “NO” on this bill from the beginning. What was wrong with the bill three months ago is still wrong today. It abandons 250 years of criminal justice procedure in America. As written, this bill reveals and injures thousands of innocent people – witnesses,…
— Rep. Clay Higgins (@RepClayHiggins) November 18, 2025
#BREAKING: U.S. House votes to release Epstein files, 427-1.
Goes now to U.S. Senate. pic.twitter.com/yB9efCAG3h
— CSPAN (@cspan) November 18, 2025
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