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Congress Watch · Report · File No. 261111-650

Massie's second Epstein files petition hits 218 signatures, forcing a House vote

Rep. Thomas Massie's discharge petition passed the 218-signature mark Wednesday, so the House must vote on a bill that would make it easier to sue the Justice Department over the Epstein records. Republican leaders can't block the vote.

By the Capitol Desk · · 2 min read

Every quote in this story (1) was matched word for word against its source. How we work

My clippings
The Epstein FilesThe full timeline, the official documents and the video, on one page →
Thomas Massie
Thomas Massie. Photo: House Creative Services, Public domain

Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, now has enough signatures to force a House vote on a second Epstein Files Transparency Act. The bill would push the release of the remaining Justice Department files on Jeffrey Epstein. The petition reached the 218-signature threshold on Wednesday, CBS News reported. 1

A discharge petition lets rank-and-file members bring a bill to the floor without the approval of party leaders. It needs 218 signatures, a majority of the 435-member House. All Democrats have signed, along with four Republicans, including Massie. 1

On tapeWOWK 13 News · Nov 6
Nov. 6: Massie says he can force a vote on a second Epstein files bill.Video: WOWK 13 News on YouTube, “Massie to push a forced vote on second Epstein files bill next week”. It plays from YouTube when you press play.

Another signer is Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, whom CBS lists among the four Republicans. 1 Massie is leading the effort with Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California. 2

What the bill would do

The bill would let members of Congress, state attorneys general and Epstein survivors sue the Justice Department if it fails to comply with the first Epstein Transparency Act. That law was signed nearly a year ago, after lawmakers used the same procedure to force a vote. 1

From Channel GOPMassie says Epstein files show it wasn't a hoaxThomas Massie · 30K plays · captioned, with the source named

The bill would also require the attorney general to give victims unredacted documents on request. It would use penalties already in federal law against officials who withhold or redact information. 2

Thomas Massie
The Department of Justice continues to unlawfully withhold over 3 million Epstein files that should be released to the public
Thomas Massie, U.S. Representative, Republican of Kentucky1

Massie has accused the department of "flagrantly and consistently" ignoring the disclosure requirements of the law. 1 The Justice Department has not been quoted responding in the coverage reviewed here.

What happens next

Under House rules, Speaker Mike Johnson would then have to schedule a floor vote within seven legislative days, according to the Deseret News. 2 The exact date has not been announced.

Massie launched the petition in late August. He warned then that he had heard rumors that Johnson might recess the House until after the midterm elections. 3

The midterms were on Nov. 3, and the House is back in session now. Massie lost his Republican primary earlier this year to a Trump-endorsed challenger, Ed Gallrein. 3

That matters because the vote will put every House member on record on whether the public and survivors can enforce a law Congress already passed. A bill that reaches the floor this way still has to clear the House and the Senate. The coverage reviewed here does not say how either chamber is expected to vote.

The Record

  1. Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna launch a discharge petition for Epstein Files Transparency Act II. 3
  2. The petition stands at 216 signatures, two short of 218. 2
  3. The petition reaches 218 signatures, forcing a House vote. 1
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Sources

  1. CBS News, “Petition for new Epstein files bill gets enough support for vote” (2026-11-11). cbsnews.com/news/epstein-files-bill-discharge-petition-thoma
  2. Deseret News, “Epstein files get another moment in Congress” (2026-09-21). deseret.com/politics/2026/09/21/epstein-files-get-another-mo
  3. KMPH / The National News Desk, “Massie introduces discharge petition to force vote on Epstein Files Transparency Act II” (2026-09-01). kmph.com/news/nation-world/massie-introduces-discharge-petit

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