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WASHINGTON – In a decisive move on Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly in favor of a bill mandating the Justice Department to disclose its files on Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender. This comes after months of strong resistance from President Donald Trump and Republican leaders.
The bill was overwhelmingly approved with a 427-1 vote, with five members choosing not to participate.
As reported by The Washington Post, all representatives from Missouri and Illinois cast their votes in support of making the Epstein files public.
The following House members from Missouri voted in favor of releasing the Epstein files:
MISSOURI
Wesley Bell (D-1st District), Ann Wagner (R-2nd District), Bob Onder (R-3rd District), Mark Alford (R-4th District), Emanuel Cleaver (D-5th District), Sam Graves (R-6th District), Eric Burlison (R-7th District) and Jason Smith (R-8th District)
ILLINOIS
Jonathan Jackson (D-1st District), Robin Kelly (D-2nd District), Delia Ramirez (D-3rd District), Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia (D-4th District), Mike Quigley (D-5th District), Sean Casten (D-6th District), Danny Davis (D-7th District), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-8th District), Jan Schakowsky (D-9th District), Brad Schneider (D-10th District), Bill Foster (D-11th District), Mike Bost (R-12th District), Nikki Budzinski (D-13th District), Lauren Underwood (D-14th District), Mary Miller (R-15th District), Darin LaHood (R-16th District), Eric Sorensen (D-17th District)
The only vote against releasing the Epstein files came from Clay Higgins, a Republican representative from Louisiana. Three Democrats and two Republicans did not cast votes in support or opposition of releasing the Epstein files.
Some Missouri U.S. lawmakers shared statements on their votes Tuesday:
Wesley Bell (D-1st District) ahead of the vote via X:
“I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican. Anyone involved in the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein must be held accountable. Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”
Ann Wagner (R-2nd District):
“I just voted to reopen the government, a vote that includes full-year funding for veteran’s healthcare and the VA. It includes billions of dollars for SNAP, billions of dollars for food stamps and the National School Lunch Program, and billions of dollars for the Women, Infants, and Children program. It’s sad that so many Democrats couldn’t bring themselves to vote for such a good, simple bill that keeps families fed and safe.
“Senate Democrats never should have put the American people through this reckless government shutdown in the first place. This was all political. They wanted to use the suffering of the American people as leverage, but thank God it’s now coming to an end so Missouri families and workers across the country can finally have certainty and stability in their lives.”
Mark Alford (R-4th District):
“On my last day as a television news anchor and from the very beginning of the Epstein Files saga, I’ve said the only thing that matters is the truth. Time and again, I have advocated for any files in the Justice Department’s possession to be responsibly released, while protecting victims’ identities. Transparency is not a partisan issue—it’s a moral one.
“The public has a right to know who enabled these heinous acts, and we must ensure the full scope of Epstein’s criminal network is exposed. The Epstein case has cast a long shadow over our institutions and fueled distrust among Americans. By releasing the files, we can begin to restore faith in our justice system.
“We will always fight for justice, while demanding complete and total transparency. The American people deserve nothing less.”
Emanuel Cleaver (D-5th District):
“The crimes committed by Jeffrey Epstein and his associates were disgusting, deplorable, and devastatingly damaging to dozens, if not hundreds, of young and vulnerable girls across the country. While it is deeply disappointing that the president and the Speaker of the House fought to prevent this bill from ever coming to the House floor, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers came together to force a vote that will bring us another step closer toward providing justice to the victims and transparency to the American people.
“I was proud to vote for the bill and the disclosure of the Epstein Files in the hopes that it would provide closure to the survivors.
“However, this push for transparency does not end here. It is important that my colleagues in the Senate immediately pass this legislation to ensure it becomes law and the truth prevails.”