Providing for the public release of certain documents, records, and communications related to the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein.

Bill: 119-hres-589
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Norman, Ralph [R-SC-5]
Introduced: 2025-07-17
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Congressional-executive branch relations

Crimes against children

Freedom of information

Government information and archives

House of Representatives
Latest action: action_date: 2025-07-21
text: Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 598 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H. Res. 589. The resolution provides that H.Res. 589 is hereby adopted.

Summaries:

tv_txt: IV 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 589 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 17, 2025 Mr. Norman (for himself, Ms. Foxx , Mrs. Fischbach , Mr. Roy , Mrs. Houchin , Mr. Langworthy , Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia , Mr. Griffith , and Mr. Jack ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary RESOLUTION Providing for the public release of certain documents, records, and communications related to the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein.

1. Release of documents relating to jeffrey epstein (a) In general Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Resolution, the Attorney General shall, subject to subsection (b), make publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format all credible: (1) documents, records, and communications, including metadata, in the possession of the Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Attorneys’ Offices, referring or related to the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. (2) documents, records, and communications, including metadata, between or among Department of Justice employees, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Attorney’s Offices, referring or relating to the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. (3) documents, records, and communications, including metadata, referring or relating to United States v. Maxwell, United States v. Jeffrey Epstein, and Farmer v. United States. (4) documents, records, and communications, including metadata, related to Jeffrey Epstein’s detention or death, including any investigation into his death. (b) Prohibited grounds for withholding No record shall be withheld, delayed, or redacted on the basis of any of the following: (1) 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 of sexual abuse or human trafficking or such victims’ personal and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, including information that could reasonably be used to unmask or identify such victims of sexual abuse or human trafficking; (B) depicts child pornography, constitutes child sexual abuse or similar materials; (C) would jeopardize an active Federal investigation or ongoing prosecution, provided that such withholding is narrowly tailored; (D) would violate, if disclosed, Rule 6(e) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure by disclosing information that reveals the identities of witnesses or jurors, the substance of testimony before the grand jury, the strategy or direction of the grand jury’s investigation, or the deliberations or questions of jurors, provided that the withholding of information that was coincidentally before the grand jury and can be revealed in such a manner that its disclosure would not elucidate the inner workings of the grand jury is not permitted; (E) depicts or contains images of death, physical abuse, or injury of any person; (F) 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; and (G) are demonstrably false or unauthenticated. (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, 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. 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). .