Rep. Thomas Massie has gathered enough support to force a vote on releasing more Jeffrey Epstein files. The discharge petition reached the required 218 signatures on Wednesday, according to ABC News. This action compels House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring the bill to the floor.
Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna started this effort in early September. They now hold the power to call a vote after seven legislative days pass. ABC News reports that all 214 Democrats signed the petition. Four Republicans also joined the effort, including Brian Fitzpatrick, Nancy Mace, and Ralph Norman.
The proposed legislation aims to stop the government from hiding documents. It would allow victims and state attorneys general to sue for full access. Massie told CNN that internal memos are vital to understanding the case. “You have to give us those internal memos about decisions on whether to prosecute, whether to investigate, because that’s central to this whole thing,” Massie said.
The bill targets the “deliberative process privilege” used to block release. The Washington Examiner noted this would bar Attorney General Todd Blanche from withholding files. State officials and survivors could demand unredacted records relating to their own abuse. The Washington Times confirmed that enough members signed to force consideration of this lawsuit authority.
Discharge petitions let lawmakers skip the usual leadership rules. ABC News states this tool has succeeded eight times in the current Congress. Once the threshold is met, the motion sits on the calendar for at least seven days. A signer must then offer a motion to proceed with the vote.
If the motion passes, the House Speaker has two days to act. ABC News explains that any floor action would likely occur after the Thanksgiving recess. The vote could happen as early as December 2 or 3. This follows a similar move in November 2025 that forced the release of initial files. Massie worked with Pramila Jayapal and Teresa Leger Fernández to push the bill forward for a vote soon.
The House must now decide if it will consider the new transparency act. Massie and Khanna have the procedural right to force the issue. The Washington Examiner reports that the bill would empower survivors to demand documents they believe are being withheld. No further dates are set beyond the potential December window. The process moves forward unless the House rejects the motion.
