Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., have launched a new bipartisan effort to force the Justice Department to release additional files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, reviving a congressional fight that previously resulted in the release of millions of pages of records.
Massie launched a new discharge petition Monday for the Epstein Files Transparency Act II, seeking to bring legislation to the House floor despite potential opposition from congressional leadership. The effort comes after lawmakers have continued to argue that the Justice Department has not released all records covered by previous disclosure requirements.
Khanna said he and Massie had introduced another discharge petition and urged lawmakers from both parties to sign it.
“Thomas Massie and I just introduced another discharge petition for Epstein Files Two,” Khanna said. “As you remember our first discharge petition worked. We forced the release of millions of Epstein files and began the unravelling of the Trump presidency.”
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Khanna said the earlier effort represented “justice for many survivors,” but argued that the Justice Department continues to withhold millions of documents.
“Survivors have not gotten prosecutions, and they have not gotten access to some of the FBI forms,” Khanna said. The new legislation would seek to impose stronger enforcement mechanisms on the Justice Department.
According to Khanna, the bill would require the department to release the remaining files under threat of criminal penalties and would give state attorneys general authority to pursue prosecutions.
“I’m calling on everyone in Congress to sign this,” Khanna said.
Massie and Khanna revive bipartisan Epstein files effort
The latest effort builds on an unusual bipartisan alliance between Massie and Khanna, who have repeatedly worked together to press for greater disclosure of Epstein-related records.
A discharge petition is a procedural mechanism that can force legislation out of committee and onto the House floor if it receives the signatures of 218 House members. Massie previously used the procedure in the push for legislation requiring the release of Epstein-related files.
The earlier campaign ultimately attracted support from lawmakers across party lines and helped move the Epstein Files Transparency Act through Congress. Massie and Khanna have continued to criticize the Justice Department over what they describe as incomplete disclosure.
In January, the two lawmakers also sought court intervention to compel the Justice Department to release the full set of Epstein-related records, arguing that the department had not complied with its legal obligations.
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The new bill therefore represents another attempt to use Congress’s legislative powers to pressure the Justice Department over the handling of the files.
The renewed push is also likely to put pressure on members of both parties, particularly those who previously supported disclosure. Massie has already begun collecting signatures for the new discharge petition, while Khanna is calling on other lawmakers to join the effort.
For survivors of Epstein’s abuse, the dispute centers not only on the release of records but also on whether additional documents could provide information relevant to investigations and potential prosecutions. The latest congressional effort could now become another test of how far lawmakers are willing to go to compel disclosure from the Justice Department.