The House of Representatives is set to vote next week on legislation that would release files related to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking investigation, following months of resistance from Republican leadership. The vote comes after a petition supporting the bill reached the required 218 signatures, forcing House leadership to bring it to the floor.

The push for transparency gained momentum as new documents have emerged raising questions about Epstein’s connections to powerful figures. Among these is a 2019 email from Epstein to a journalist claiming that President Donald Trump “knew about the girls.” The White House has responded by accusing Democrats of selectively leaking these emails to damage the Republican president’s reputation.

Public interest in Epstein’s case has remained intense for years, particularly regarding his connections to wealthy and influential individuals including Trump, former President Bill Clinton, tech executives, and prominent academics.

The bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act was introduced by Representatives Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, and Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican. The petition to force a vote received support from all House Democrats and four Republicans: Massie, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, and Nancy Mace of South Carolina.

The petition reached the crucial threshold of 218 signatures on Wednesday when newly sworn-in Democratic Representative Adelita Grijalva of Arizona added her name. Following this development, Speaker Mike Johnson announced he would expedite the petition process, bringing the bill to a vote early next week.

Johnson has rejected accusations that he obstructed the legislation to protect Trump or others. He told reporters that Republicans had concerns about the bill’s language, which he claimed did not adequately protect victims. Johnson has also pointed to the ongoing Epstein investigation by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which recently released thousands of pages of documents.

The legislation would compel the Justice Department to release all files and communications related to Epstein, as well as information about the investigation into his death in federal custody. While the bill allows for redactions to protect victims’ identities and ongoing federal investigations, it specifically prohibits withholding information due to “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity” for government officials, public figures, or foreign dignitaries.

With the support of everyone who signed the petition, the bill is expected to pass the House. It may also gain additional Republican votes now that it’s advancing to the floor. Representative Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican who didn’t sign the petition, has indicated he plans to support the bill.

The legislation faces a more challenging path in the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-47 majority. It would likely require 60 votes to advance to final passage. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has been noncommittal about taking up the bill, stating in September that he “can’t comment on that at this point.” Thune also noted that the Justice Department “has already released tons of files related to this matter” and expressed confidence in their handling of the information while protecting victims’ rights.

If the measure passes both chambers, it would go to President Trump, who has strongly opposed the discharge petition and would likely veto it. On Wednesday, Trump reached out to two Republicans who had signed the petition and posted on his Truth Social platform: “The Democrats are trying to bring up the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax again because they’ll do anything at all to deflect on how badly they’ve done on the Shutdown, and so many other subjects. Only a very bad, or stupid, Republican would fall into that trap.”

A presidential veto would require a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate to override, something that has happened only twice since 2009. Representative Massie suggested that Trump could avoid this situation entirely by releasing all the Epstein files held by the federal government, adding: “There’s still time for him to be the hero.”

The vote represents a significant moment in the ongoing controversy surrounding Epstein’s case and the persistent questions about who in positions of power may have been involved with or had knowledge of his criminal activities.