Published November 12, 2026 · By
A new Epstein files vote is headed for the House floor after Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) collected the 218th signature on a discharge petition Wednesday, November 11, for a bill known as the Epstein Files Transparency Act II. The measure would let members of Congress, state attorneys general and Jeffrey Epstein's survivors sue the Justice Department if they believe records covered by last year's disclosure law are being withheld or improperly redacted.
The petition behind the Epstein files vote had support from every House Democrat and four Republicans. Under House rules, a vote cannot happen right away, and ABC News reported that floor action could come after the Thanksgiving recess, possibly as early as December 2 or 3.
What Happened: Petition Clears 218 Signatures for an Epstein Files Vote
A discharge petition is a tool that lets a majority of House members bring a bill to the floor without the approval of the Speaker or the committee that holds it. It needs 218 signatures, a majority of the full House. Massie filed this petition on August 31, 2026, together with Democratic Reps. Ro Khanna of California and Teresa Leger Fernandez of New Mexico, according to Newsmax.
The push for an Epstein files vote had been stuck at 216 signatures since mid-September, Newsmax reported. The final two signatures came from Democratic Reps. Adam Smith of Washington and John Garamendi of California. Massie announced the milestone on X, writing that the petition had "reached the required 218 signatures" and saying he was working with Democratic colleagues to bring the bill to a vote soon.
Who Signed the Petition
According to ABC News and CBS News, the 218 signers include all 214 House Democrats plus four Republicans: Massie, Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. ABC described the four Republicans as lame-duck members. ABC also noted that discharge petitions have now succeeded eight times in the current Congress.
Timing of the Epstein Files Vote
The petition does not trigger an immediate Epstein files vote. Newsmax reported that seven legislative days must pass after the 218th signature before a signer can offer a motion to discharge. ABC News explained that once the motion is offered, the Speaker has two legislative days to schedule it. If the motion passes, the House then takes up the bill itself. Because of the Thanksgiving break, ABC reported the earliest likely window is the first week of December.
What the Epstein Files Transparency Act II Would Do
The bill at the center of the Epstein files vote builds on the original Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Congress passed by wide margins in November 2025 after a similar discharge petition led by Massie and Khanna. President Trump signed that law on November 19, 2025. It required the Justice Department to publish its unclassified records related to Epstein, with limited exceptions. The text of the original law is available on Congress.gov.
The sequel focuses on enforcement. CBS News reported that it would allow members of Congress, state attorneys general and Epstein survivors to sue the Justice Department for failing to comply with the first law. ABC News described the same right to sue the U.S. attorney general over records that are unlawfully withheld or redacted. Massie has said the bill would help survivors obtain their own records and allow state prosecutors to pursue crimes tied to the files.
Why Supporters Say a Second Law Is Needed
Massie has accused the Justice Department of not fully following the 2025 law. In a July statement quoted by CBS News, he said the department "continues to unlawfully withhold over 3 million Epstein files." He has also criticized what he calls heavy redactions in the documents released so far.
Newsmax, citing a CBS News review, reported that gaps in the department's document numbering suggest some pages were removed and that several records indicate classified material was among the files collected. Newsmax also reported that the Government Accountability Office is reviewing the redactions at the request of several lawmakers.
The Justice Department's Position
The Justice Department has said it met the law's requirements. According to Newsmax, the department has released more than 3 million pages, after earlier saying it had collected more than 6 million. The department has said the remaining material was duplicative, unrelated to Epstein or privileged. Then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche had said no files were withheld or redacted on national security grounds, Newsmax reported. None of the reports reviewed for this article included a new statement from the department, the White House or House Republican leadership in response to the petition reaching 218 signatures.
How Each Side Has Framed the Epstein Files Vote
Supporters of the Epstein files vote, including the four Republicans and all House Democrats, have presented the bill as a way to enforce a law that both chambers already approved. Massie has argued that the right to sue would give survivors and state prosecutors a way to obtain records they say are still being withheld.
The Justice Department's position is that it has already complied and that withheld material falls under legitimate exceptions, such as privilege or lack of relevance. Supporters again chose a discharge petition, which bypasses the Speaker and the committee process, as they did in 2025. How Republican leaders will respond when the motion becomes eligible has not been announced.
The Epstein files vote also comes during a period of transition. Democrats won control of the House in the November 3 midterm elections and will take the majority in January 2027. Oversight of the executive branch has already become a point of friction, as shown by the recent Will Scharf letter warning House Democrats about their investigative plans.
What Comes Next After the Epstein Files Vote
If the Epstein files vote succeeds and the House passes the bill, it would still need approval from the Senate and the president's signature, or enough votes to override a veto, before becoming law. The Senate has not announced plans to take up the measure. Any lawsuits authorized by the bill would then move through the federal courts, which could take months or longer.
Analysis: Because Democrats will hold the House majority starting in January, supporters could reintroduce the bill in the next Congress if it does not clear both chambers before this session ends. That would require starting the legislative process over. This is an assessment based on the congressional calendar, not a prediction of any outcome.
Readers can follow pending discharge petitions and their signers on the Office of the Clerk of the House website, which publishes the official list.
What It Means for You
For most Americans, the Epstein files vote will not change taxes, benefits or monthly bills. Its impact is mainly about government transparency and how Congress enforces the laws it passes. Here is what to watch:
- Floor timing: The earliest expected window is the first week of December, after the Thanksgiving recess. Watch the House schedule once lawmakers return.
- How your representative votes: The Epstein files vote will be a recorded vote, so you can see where your member stands. Contact information is available on house.gov.
- Court access: If the bill becomes law, survivors, state attorneys general and members of Congress could ask federal judges to review withheld records. That could lead to more public documents over time.
- Floor time and other priorities: Days spent on discharge motions are days not used for other bills, including spending measures that keep federal agencies funded. Keep an eye on deadlines that affect federal services you rely on.
- Reliable information: Expect claims about what the files contain. Look for documents released through official channels and reporting from established outlets before sharing.
The House has also been busy with other high-profile votes this month, including the Hegseth impeachment vote, which shows how procedural tools are shaping the final weeks of this Congress.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Bill: Epstein Files Transparency Act II.
- Lead sponsor: Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), with Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.).
- Signatures: 218, reached November 11, 2026.
- Republican signers: Massie, Nancy Mace, Ralph Norman and Brian Fitzpatrick.
- Main provision: Lets lawmakers, state attorneys general and survivors sue the Justice Department over withheld or redacted records.
- Earliest Epstein files vote: Possibly December 2 or 3, according to ABC News.
This article is for information only and does not express a position on the bill. Details may change as the House schedule is set.
Sources: ABC News, "Discharge petition on 2nd Epstein files bill secures 218 signatures, teeing up floor action" (Nov. 11, 2026); CBS News, "House petition for new Epstein files bill gets enough support to force vote" (Nov. 11, 2026); Newsmax via Yahoo News, "Massie Gets 218 Signatures for Epstein Files Vote" (Nov. 11, 2026); Congress.gov; Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives.
