US Senate unanimously approves bill to release Epstein files following House passage

WASHINGTON -- The US Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved a House-passed bill that requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release files related to late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The bill still requires the signature of US President Donald Trump.

The upper chamber passed the bill by unanimous consent, just hours after it cleared the House via a nearly unanimous vote. The Senate's passage occurred before the bill was technically sent from the House.

"My unanimous consent request guarantees that the Senate will immediately pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act without any further action. As soon as it comes over from the House, we will pass the House's bill without changes, without delay, and we will finally get this done," Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor before requesting unanimous consent.

Just a few hours earlier, the House voted 427-1 to pass the Act, a nearly unanimous approval. The bill requires the DOJ to publish all unclassified records, documents, communications and investigative materials in its possession related to the investigation and prosecution of Epstein.

The DOJ may withhold certain information, such as personally identifiable information of the victims and materials that could jeopardize an active federal investigation.

The Congressional approval came just two days after Trump suddenly reversed his previous stance and called on Republican House members to vote in favor of releasing the Epstein files. US media suggested that Trump's 180-degree turnaround was prompted by the fact that a substantial number of Republican representatives were already planning to vote in favor of releasing the Epstein files.

Epstein had close connections with many prominent American political and business figures. After being arrested on sexual offense charges, he died in prison in August 2019, in what was officially ruled a suicide.

During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump promised that, if elected, he would release documents related to the Epstein case. On July 7, however, the DOJ and the Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a memorandum stating that there is no "incriminating client list," no evidence that Epstein's death was a murder, and that no further Epstein-related documents would be released.

The newly-approved bill was introduced in the House in mid-July, but Republican leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, delayed the process for months.

Democratic Representative Ro Khanna and Republican Representative Thomas Massie have led a discharge petition that would force a vote once it reaches the 218-signature threshold. Last Wednesday, the petition secured the final signature it needed.

Also on Wednesday, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released Epstein-related documents involving Trump. Republicans on the committee then released a far larger tranche of files as a countermeasure, accusing the Democrats of cherry-picking.

On Friday, Trump directed the DOJ to investigate high-profile Democrats connected to Epstein, including former President Bill Clinton. Critics view the move as an attempt to counter the impact of the Epstein-related documents involving Trump that Democrats recently released.