Washington, D.C., USA: Indian American members of Congress have strongly praised the overwhelming bipartisan approval of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a measure that sailed through the U.S. House of Representatives with a 427–1 vote on November 18 and later passed quickly in the Senate.
The bill, co-authored by Representative Ro Khanna, now awaits President Donald Trump’s signature. Once enacted, it will compel federal agencies to make public all unclassified documents connected to Jeffrey Epstein.
Khanna said the legislation is intended to end years of secrecy surrounding Epstein-related records and to uphold accountability.
“This is beyond politics; it is about humanity and justice,” he stated, noting that survivors and the public have waited far too long. He described the bill’s approval as “a move toward fixing a broken system” and urged a full release of the Epstein files.
Representative Suhas Subramanyam, a member of the House Oversight Committee, argued that the vote should not have been required because the committee had already demanded the records through subpoenas.
“We already have some files disclosed by the Epstein Estate, but the FBI and DOJ continue to hold tens of thousands more,” he said. “Survivors—and the American people—deserve complete transparency.”
Other Indian American legislators echoed this demand.
Representative Ami Bera wrote that both chambers of Congress have sent a clear message that the federal government must release the Epstein documents and urged President Trump to act promptly.
Representative Pramila Jayapal, who stood alongside survivors when the Senate passed the bill, said the next step rests with the White House. She vowed that lawmakers will continue pushing for truth, accountability, and justice.
The bill’s advancement follows years of advocacy by survivors, transparency organizations, and congressional leaders who argue that vital information about Epstein’s associates, travel patterns, and previous investigations has remained concealed or only partly disclosed. While the Epstein Estate and civil court cases have already made some documents public, major collections held by the FBI and the Department of Justice are still unreleased. The legislation would require their disclosure, except in limited cases involving ongoing investigations or the protection of victims.
President Trump, who previously resisted compulsory disclosure efforts, is expected to receive the bill within days. If signed, federal agencies will be required to publish the records on a public platform, likely opening a new chapter in the inquiry surrounding Epstein.
The decisive, near-unanimous support in both chambers marks one of the strongest bipartisan efforts for government transparency in recent times, though questions remain about how swiftly the executive branch will follow through once the measure becomes law.
