Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21)

Rep. Frankel Votes for Release of the Epstein Files

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) delivered her final floor speech as a Member of Congress. 

Rep. Sherrill intends to submit her letter of resignation from the House next week after six years as the Representative for New Jersey’s 11th District in order to serve as the 57th Governor of New Jersey. 

Click here to listen to Sherrill’s full remarks. Full remarks, as delivered:

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule for a bill that does nothing to protect over 450,000 New Jerseyans who will see their healthcare premiums skyrocket.

I took my first oath to the Constitution when I was 18 and went to the Naval Academy. It’s an oath to serve, to run toward the fight. And so, I ran for Congress after I saw Washington Republicans attacking the Affordable Care Act. 

I promised I would take on the status quo. I would fight the big fights. Because that’s what people expect of their leaders. That’s what people deserve from their leaders. 

I’m proud of the wins I’ve delivered as your representative for New Jersey’s 11th District. Capping the cost of insulin and prescription drugs for seniors. Funding the Gateway Tunnel. The PACT Act for veterans. Flood mitigation projects. Delivering for Picatinny Arsenal.

You have trusted me, New Jersey, and last week, you placed your trust in me again, electing me your 57th Governor. So I ran on a similar promise — to take on anyone, and stop at nothing to lower costs and build opportunity for everyone. 

This will be my last speech in this chamber. I intend to submit my resignation next week and turn to protecting all of New Jersey. 

So my parting message to Jersey is: thank you. 

To my staff: thank you for your dedication to serving the 11th District of New Jersey.

To my colleagues: do not let this body become a ceremonial red stamp for an administration that takes food away from children and rips healthcare away from people.

To the country: stand strong. As we say in the Navy: Do not give up the ship. 

Thank you, and I yield back.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Newhouse (4th District of Washington)

Headline: Newhouse Votes to Release Epstein Files

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) released the following statement upon passage of H.R. 4405, the Epstein Files Transparency Act, by the House of Representatives with a vote of 427-1 

“While Jeffrey Epstein is dead, the fact remains that his victims were trafficked, their innocence exploited, and they deserve justice for the heinous crimes committed by this horrible man,” said Rep. Newhouse. “The entirety of the debate around releasing the Epstein files has been centered around one thing, transparency. My top priority in releasing these files has been protecting the victims, especially the minors, as well as ensuring any unsealed information does not interfere with active pursuits of justice. I encourage our counterparts in the Senate to prioritize the sensitivity of the victims’ privacy while we work to show Americans that these disgusting crimes will not be kept in the dark.” 

This legislation requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to publish, in a searchable and downloadable format, all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in DOJ’s possession that relate to the investigation and prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein.

This includes materials that relate to Ghislaine Maxwell, flight logs and travel records, and individuals named or referenced in connection with the investigation and prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein. 

DOJ is permitted to withhold certain information such as the personal information of victims and materials that would jeopardize an active federal investigation. 

Additionally, not later than 15 days after the required publication, DOJ must report to Congress all categories of information released and withheld, a summary of any redactions made, and a list of all government officials and politically exposed individuals named or referenced in the published materials.

Republicans on the House Oversight Committee have publicly released approximately 65,000 pages of records to date. This includes documents from the Department of Justice, the Epstein Estate, former U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr’s deposition transcript, and former U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta’s transcript.

See full bill text here. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Sean Casten (IL-06)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

Headline: Carter votes to release Epstein files

Carter votes to release Epstein files

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brian Babin (R-TX)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Brian Babin, D.D.S. (R-TX), released the following statement after voting to release the Jeffrey Epstein files:

“Jeffrey Epstein was patient zero for Trump Derangement Syndrome. Democrats had these files for four years and did nothing; now, suddenly, they’re crying for transparency? I believe in full transparency for the American people, which is why I voted to release everything. But this is clearly just a political sideshow. Meanwhile, Stacey Plaskett (D-V.I.) was literally caught texting Epstein in the middle of a congressional hearing, and the Left says nothing. While Republicans call for real accountability, Democrats obsess over distractions, and our focus must stay on what really matters: making life more affordable for American families.” Congressman Babin said.

Background:

Over 65,000 pages of documentation, including more than 20,000 from the Epstein Estate, have been released and made public by the Republicans on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

The Oversight Committee has also:

Released the transcript of former U.S. Attorney General William Barr’s deposition

Subpoenaed the Justice Department’s records

Subpoenaed Bill and Hillary Clinton

Subpoenaed the Epstein Estate

Subpoenaed Ghislaine Maxwell

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Riley Moore (WV-02)

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Riley M. Moore voted for radical transparency, joining his colleagues in passing H.R. 4405, the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which requires the release of all investigative files related to Jeffrey Epstein, marking an official step towards accountability, transparency, and justice for victims.

Congressman Moore issued the following statement:

“Today, House Republicans took an important step to provide the American people the radical transparency they deserve regarding Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s horrific crimes. I voted to release the files today. This bill continues the Trump Administration’s efforts to provide as much information to the public as possible. The Justice Department has already turned over more than 62,000 documents to the House Oversight Committee, and this bill requires the Justice Department to release all remaining documents to the public.

Specifically, the bill requires production and release of all documents from Epstein-related investigations and prosecutions, flight logs and travel records, records of all government officials who are referenced in connection with Jeffrey Epstein, entities with ties to Jeffrey Epstein, and all related communications. Republicans promised radical transparency, and today we took a concrete step to provide that transparency that the American people deserve.”

Congressman Moore stressed that releasing these files is essential to restoring public trust and delivering justice for victims that have suffered for far too long.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MS NOW’s Morning Joe, where he made clear that Democrats will continue to protect the American people from the Republican healthcare crisis and deliver the American people the truth and bring justice as it relates to the Epstein files.

MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Joining us now, House Minority Leader, Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of New York. It’s good to have you on the show. So how will these conversations go with the President?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, good morning. It’s great to be with you. It is not clear who Donald Trump is talking about. I’ve spoken to no House Democrat, no Senate Democrat who has had a conversation with him. We’ve made clear that what needs to happen is to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits prior to the expiration that’s going to occur on December 31st of next month because, if we don’t do that, tens of millions of Americans are about to experience dramatically-increased healthcare premiums such that it will be unaffordable for them to be able to go see a doctor when they need one. We’re talking about, in many instances, a premium increase of $1,000 or $2,000 per month. And these are for working-class, middle-class families, everyday Americans, who will be unable to afford access to healthcare.

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Well, Leader Jeffries, even with those tax credits, premiums are exploding. And they’ll be exploding under Obamacare, they’ll be exploding in private healthcare. I mean, at what point are we going to sit down and figure out a systemic approach that actually is sustainable? Because we’re not in it now. And again, even with those tax credits, the Obamacare premiums explode. Even worse, private healthcare premiums explode, denials of coverage multiplying. A lot of those denials coming, reportedly, from AI. This system is failing the American people, and it’s only going to get worse. What are we going to do?

LEADER JEFFRIES: There’s no doubt about that, Joe. We have a broken healthcare system and, unfortunately, Republicans have decided to break it even further. And this relates to things that go beyond their refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. In this year alone, what we’ve seen is Republicans enact the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. 14 million people are being denied their coverage as a result of the fact that they’ve passed this One Big Ugly Bill. We see hospitals and nursing homes and community-based health centers closing all across the country. In this appropriations process that we’re in right now, Republicans are trying to enact a $1.7 billion cut to the Centers for Disease Control. That will be the largest cut to the CDC in American history. And at the same time, they want to enact a historic cut to the National Institutes of Health. So this has been an all-out assault on the healthcare of the American people, and the system was already broken because of some of the dynamics that you’ve referenced. And so, yes, we’ve said we want to sit down and find a bipartisan path forward to actually address the Republican healthcare crisis and create a system that enables everyday Americans to be able to go see a doctor when they need one. This is the wealthiest country in the history of the world. That’s the least that should be expected in the context of people confronting serious medical illnesses.

WILLIE GEIST: Leader Jeffries, good morning. As you know well, it’s not just Democrats sounding the alarm about the expiration of these ACA subsidies, it’s Republicans. Marjorie Taylor Greene chief among them, putting pressure on the White House and the Congress to preserve these. So now there’s this bipartisan legislation from your colleague Tom Suozzi, the Democrat, and Don Bacon, Republican from Nebraska, to get this taken care of, to extend these subsidies before the end of the year. Are you confident that will happen for the American people, not just for Democrats, but for American people across the political spectrum who rely on those subsidies?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well that’s an important point, that this fight for us is not a partisan one, it’s a patriotic one. And in fact the states that will be most impacted if the Affordable Care Act tax credits are allowed to expire are all states that are run by Republicans. We’re talking about West Virginia, Wyoming, Alaska, Mississippi, Tennessee being the top five states. I think the next five states are Texas, South Carolina, Alabama, North Dakota and South Dakota. And so, we’re fighting to protect the healthcare of the American people. Now, Republicans continue to refuse to take yes for an answer. Leader Schumer presented a very reasonable proposal during the midst of the Trump-Republican shutdown, which is a one-year extension and then a bipartisan commission so we can find a path forward to fix our broken healthcare system in a more comprehensive way. They’ve rejected it. Our view on the House side now is a straight three-year extension to give the American people the certainty that they need while working on these broader healthcare issues that need to be addressed.

JONATHAN LEMIRE: Leader Jeffries, let’s talk now about the Jeffrey Epstein vote scheduled for later today. What do you anticipate? There’s a suggestion that a lot of Republicans now will go for this after President Trump offered his blessing the other day. But secondly, do you share concerns that your Republican colleague, Congressman Massie, voiced last night that by President Trump ordering the Attorney General to open up the investigations into Democrats who are connected to Epstein, that that might actually trigger a withholding of information? That they’ll say, hey, it’s an open matter, we actually can’t release much in the way of files, or at least we’ll only selectively release some of the files.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Yes, that is a very reasonable concern, particularly when we’ve seen this so-called Attorney General conduct herself and conduct the Department that she runs more like the Department of Injustice. And so, there’s no reason to believe that they’re going to behave in any kind of independent fashion, particularly now that Donald Trump has once again charged the Department of Justice with weaponizing the federal government against people he perceives to be his political adversaries. And so on the floor today, I do expect that there will be a decisive vote to release the files in the context of the transparency that the American people deserve and that the survivors have been so courageously calling for. Once that decisive vote happens in the House, it’s my expectation that will put pressure on the Senate, not to continue to bury their heads in the sand in terms of Senate Republicans, but to do what’s necessary, and then create the environment where the Trump administration should respond to the public pressure and the public sentiment of providing the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth to the American people about this horrific Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Alright, House Minority Leader, Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Thank you very much for being on this morning.

Full interview can be watched here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green Ohio)

Latta Votes to Release the Epstein Files