How Kansas & Missouri lawmakers voted on bill to release Epstein files
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- All twelve Kansas and Missouri U.S. House members voted to release Epstein files.
- House passed the disclosure bill; Senate fate and presidential response remain unclear.
- Release follows Trump reversal and bipartisan pressure over Justice Department secrecy.
Kansas and Missouri lawmakers on Tuesday voted to release files connected to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a long-awaited decision that has roiled and divided American politics.
All twelve U.S. House lawmakers from both states and parties voted in favor of the bill, which would force the disclosure of Justice Department investigative files related to the infamous financier.
The legislation moved through the U.S. Capitol at rapid speed Tuesday afternoon. It first passed the House on a vote of 427 to 1. Then, the U.S. Senate passed the measure by unanimous consent, which requires signoff from every senator but does not need a formal roll call vote.
It now heads to President Donald Trump’s desk for his potential signature.
Tuesday’s vote came amid mounting pressure and national fury over the Trump administration’s handling of files connected to Epstein. For many Americans, Epstein has served as a symbol for a political landscape they believe is defined by corruption and rot — and a shorthand for a culture dominated by a wealthy elite.
Republican lawmakers had for months rejected calls to release the files. But Trump’s sudden support for the measure after his previous attempts to kill it appeared to transform its prospects in Congress.
Trump’s about-face on the issue illustrated a broader, tumultuous moment for Republicans and his allies in Kansas and Missouri and across the country. Once a supercharged campaign issue fueled in part by Trump advocates, fallout over the Epstein files had threatened to divide Republicans and even his most fervent supporters.
The controversy is visible in Kansas and Missouri, where Republican officials have routinely boasted close ties with the Trump administration.
U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Missouri Democrat, said in a statement on Tuesday that he was proud to support the legislation and was critical of the previous GOP attempts to block the bill.
“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,” Cleaver said, “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.”
On the other side of the aisle, U.S. Rep. Mark Alford, a Missouri Republican, said 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,” Alford said. “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.”
Epstein was known for his close ties to powerful celebrities, including Trump. The wealthy financier was arrested in 2019 on charges of sex trafficking minors between 2002 and 2005.
He died in his jail cell in what was ruled a suicide, fueling a bevy of conspiracies due to Epstein’s alleged connections to the rich and powerful.
How They Voted:
A yes vote means the lawmakers voted to pass the legislation.
Kansas
Rep. Sharice Davids (D) — Yes
Rep. Ron Estes (R) — Yes
Rep. Tracey Mann (R) — Yes
Rep. Derek Schmidt (R) — Yes
Missouri
Rep. Mark Alford (R) — Yes
Rep. Wesley Bell (D) — Yes
Rep. Eric Burlison (R) — Yes
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D) — Yes
Rep. Sam Graves (R) — Yes
Rep. Bob Onder (R) — Yes
Rep. Jason Smith (R) — Yes
Rep. Ann Wagner (R) — Yes
This story has been updated after the U.S. Senate approved the measure.
This story was originally published November 18, 2025 at 2:24 PM.
