Epstein Files Transparency Act
Officially: “Epstein Files Transparency Act” Read the full text
What it does
Read it in plain language
1Short title
This section says the Act may be called the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
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1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Epstein Files Transparency Act .
2Release of documents relating to Jeffrey Epstein
This section would require the Attorney General, no later than 30 days after this Act becomes law, to make public in a searchable and downloadable format all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials that the Department of Justice holds, including material held by the FBI and U.S. Attorneys' Offices, that relate to: Jeffrey Epstein, including any investigations, prosecutions, or custodial matters involving him; Ghislaine Maxwell; flight logs or travel records, including manifests, itineraries, pilot records, and customs or immigration documents, for any aircraft, vessel, or vehicle that Epstein or a related entity owned, operated, or used; individuals, including government officials, named or referenced in connection with Epstein's criminal activity, civil settlements, immunity or plea agreements, or investigations; corporate, nonprofit, academic, or government entities with known or alleged ties to Epstein's trafficking or financial networks; immunity deals, non-prosecution agreements, plea bargains, or sealed settlements involving Epstein or his associates; internal DOJ communications, including emails, memos, and meeting notes, about decisions to charge, not charge, investigate, or decline to investigate Epstein or his associates; communications, memoranda, directives, logs, or metadata about destroying, deleting, altering, misplacing, or concealing documents, recordings, or electronic data related to Epstein, his associates, his detention and death, or any investigative files; and documentation of Epstein's detention or death, including incident reports, witness interviews, medical examiner files, autopsy reports, and records describing the circumstances and cause of death. No record may be withheld, delayed, or redacted because releasing it would cause embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary. Despite that rule, the Attorney General may withhold or redact only the segregable portions of records that fall into specific categories: personally identifiable information of victims, or victims' personal and medical files and similar files whose disclosure would be a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy; material that depicts or contains child sexual abuse material as defined and prohibited under federal law; material that would jeopardize an active federal investigation or ongoing prosecution, but only if the withholding is narrowly tailored and temporary; images of death, physical abuse, or injury of any person; and information that an Executive order specifically authorizes to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy and that is in fact properly classified under that order. Every redaction made under these permitted categories must come with a written justification that is published in the Federal Register and submitted to Congress. Where covered information would otherwise be redacted or withheld as classified under this section, the Attorney General must declassify it to the maximum extent possible. If the Attorney General determines that some covered information cannot be declassified and released in a way that protects national security, including methods or sources related to national security, the Attorney General must instead release an unclassified summary of that redacted or withheld classified information. Any decision to classify covered information made after July 1, 2025 must be published in the Federal Register and submitted to Congress, along with the date of classification, the identity of the official who classified it, and an unclassified summary of the justification for classifying it.
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2. Release of documents relating to jeffrey epstein (a) In general Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall, subject to subsection (b), make publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in the possession of the Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Attorneys’ Offices, that relate to: (1) Jeffrey Epstein including all investigations, prosecutions, or custodial matters. (2) Ghislaine Maxwell. (3) Flight logs or travel records, including but not limited to manifests, itineraries, pilot records, and customs or immigration documentation, for any aircraft, vessel, or vehicle owned, operated, or used by Jeffrey Epstein or any related entity. (4) Individuals, including government officials, named or referenced in connection with Epstein’s criminal activities, civil settlements, immunity or plea agreements, or investigatory proceedings. (5) Entities (corporate, nonprofit, academic, or governmental) with known or alleged ties to Epstein’s trafficking or financial networks. (6) Any immunity deals, non-prosecution agreements, plea bargains, or sealed settlements involving Epstein or his associates. (7) Internal DOJ communications, including emails, memos, meeting notes, concerning decisions to charge, not charge, investigate, or decline to investigate Epstein or his associates. (8) All communications, memoranda, directives, logs, or metadata concerning the destruction, deletion, alteration, misplacement, or concealment of documents, recordings, or electronic data related to Epstein, his associates, his detention and death, or any investigative files. (9) Documentation of Epstein’s detention or death, including incident reports, witness interviews, medical examiner files, autopsy reports, and written records detailing the circumstances and cause of death. (b) Prohibited grounds for withholding (1) No record shall be withheld, delayed, or redacted on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary. (c) Permitted withholdings (1) The Attorney general may withhold or redact the segregable portions of records that— (A) contain personally identifiable information of victims or victims’ personal and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy; (B) depict or contain child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) as defined under 18 U.S.C. 2256 and prohibited under 18 U.S.C. 2252–2252A; (C) would jeopardize an active federal investigation or ongoing prosecution, provided that such withholding is narrowly tailored and temporary; (D) depict or contain images of death, physical abuse, or injury of any person; or (E) contain information specifically authorized under criteria established by an Executive order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy and are in fact properly classified pursuant to such Executive order. (2) All redactions must be accompanied by a written justification published in the Federal Register and submitted to Congress. (3) To the extent that any covered information would otherwise be redacted or withheld as classified information under this section, the Attorney General shall declassify that classified information to the maximum extent possible. (A) If the Attorney General makes a determination that covered information may not be declassified and made available in a manner that protects the national security of the United States, including methods or sources related to national security, the Attorney General shall release an unclassified summary for each of the redacted or withheld classified information. (4) All decisions to classify any covered information after July 1, 2025 shall be published in the Federal Register and submitted to Congress, including the date of classification, the identity of the classifying authority, and an unclassified summary of the justification.
3Report to Congress
This section would require the Attorney General, within 15 days of completing the release required under section 2, to submit a report to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees listing all categories of records that were released and withheld, a summary of the redactions made along with their legal basis, and a list of all government officials and politically exposed persons named or referenced in the released materials. No redactions would be allowed on that list of officials and politically exposed persons, under the same rule against withholding for embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity set out in section 2.
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3. Report to Congress Within 15 days of completion of the release required under Section 2, the Attorney General shall submit to the House and Senate Committees on the Judiciary a report listing: (1) All categories of records released and withheld. (2) A summary of redactions made, including legal basis. (3) A list of all government officials and politically exposed persons named or referenced in the released materials, with no redactions permitted under subsection (b)(1).
Where it is
In the House.