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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

With Trump considering a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell and other associates of Jeffrey Epstein, Stevens calls to end presidential pardon power

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the House vote on the release of the Epstein files, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens called for an end to the presidential pardon, releasing the following statement:

“Today, I voted to release the Epstein files because there is no excuse for the administration or Republicans to continue blocking their release. It’s time to end the stonewalling and stop protecting Donald Trump. The Senate needs to vote immediately to release all the files, now.”

“It is ridiculous that presidents of both parties have the authority to excuse the most heinous crimes. We’ve seen Donald Trump abuse his power again and again, and now he could pardon a person who helped run a child sex trafficking ring with Jeffrey Epstein along with the other pedophiles Epstein helped enable.

“That’s why I am joining Senator Slotkin to call for an end to the pardon power, no matter who is in the White House. Michiganders are sick of seeing this process abused by whatever powerful interest is closest to the White House, and it’s time for it to end.”
 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34)

Rep. Gomez Welcomes Long Overdue Vote to Release Epstein Files

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) announced he secured significant federal funding for wastewater treatment plant improvements in Solvang and senior center upgrades in Guadalupe.

“These federal investments in Solvang and Guadalupe are about strengthening the foundation of our North County communities,” said Rep. Carbajal. “By modernizing Solvang’s wastewater treatment plant and renovating Guadalupe’s senior center, we’re not only upgrading critical infrastructure but also ensuring clean water, safe community spaces, and stronger emergency preparedness for generations to come.”

“The renovation of the Guadalupe Senior Center represents a meaningful investment in the wellbeing and dignity of our seniors—the very individuals who helped lay the foundation of this community. Through essential improvements, including new flooring, an upgraded dining room, and a modernized kitchen, we are ensuring this facility remains a safe, welcoming, and accessible space for years to come. This project reflects our shared commitment to supporting Guadalupe’s older adults and preserving the sense of connection and community that defines our Central Coast,” said Guadalupe Mayor Ariston Julian. 

The City of Solvang has been awarded $1,000,000 to modernize its wastewater treatment plant. This investment will replace outdated infrastructure critical to the facility’s efficiency, strengthen emergency preparedness, and safeguard reliable access to clean water for the entire community.

The City of Guadalupe has been awarded $275,000 to renovate the city’s senior center, which serves as a community resource and evacuation center for Guadalupe and the surrounding unincorporated community.

The funding, which Carbajal championed over the course of the past year’s federal budget negotiations, was signed into law last week as part of three yearlong funding bills. The three bills include funding for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Agriculture, and FDA.

In the spring of 2025, Rep. Carbajal began to push for funding for these projects through formal requests to the House Appropriations Committee for Fiscal Year 2026.

The funding was secured through the Community Project Funding (CPF) initiative first launched in 2022. Projects must be in the public interest, be good uses of taxpayer dollars, and be certified to not conflict with the representative’s personal financial interests. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN-04)

Congressman Baird Statement on Voting to Release the Epstein Files

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

As a Survivor of Sexual Abuse, Pressley Spent the Day Centering Survivors on Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON – Today, following her YES vote on a House resolution to release the Epstein files, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) issued the following statement applauding its passage and renewing her push for Congressional action and accountability. Congresswoman Pressley, who is herself a survivor of sexual abuse, has spent the day centering survivors on Capitol Hill.

“Today’s House vote to release the Epstein files is an important and long overdue step toward the healing, accountability, and transparency that survivors deserve. As a survivor of sexual assault who has fought for justice my whole life, I know the pain and trauma they carry daily. To the survivors who sat with me today and shared their stories: thank you for your strength. I see you, your experiences are real, and I will continue fighting for you.

“For months, we’ve pushed on every front—issuing subpoenas, demanding hearings, forcing votes on the House floor—to deliver accountability. It is disgraceful that survivors have had to wait decades for the truth—and even more damning that Congress must force Donald Trump to do right by these women after months of obstruction by he and his Republican co-conspirators.

“To be clear, Trump already has the authority to release the full Epstein files, as mandated by the House Oversight Committee’s July subpoena, and he must do so today. I also continue to urge the Committee to hold a full, public hearing with survivors to enshrine their stories into the Congressional Record.

“Today is a win for every survivor who has ever been ignored, dismissed, or harmed, and it is a testament to the strength of our survivor community and collective advocacy. Together, we’ll keep pushing for the truth, for justice, and for accountability, because survivors deserve nothing less.”

This afternoon, Rep. Pressley joined her Democratic Women’s Caucus colleagues for a closed-door, closed press listening session with survivors on Capitol Hill. Later this evening at 5:00pm, Rep. Pressley and the DWC will hold a candlelight vigil honoring survivors alongside colleagues and advocates in the Rayburn Foyer.

As a survivor of sexual abuse herself, Congresswoman Pressley has been a dedicated advocate for survivors’ justice and has led committee Democrats in calling for a full Congressional hearing to ensure survivors’ firsthand accounts are heard.

Rep. Pressley has led the demand for a hearing with survivors as the Committee has continued its investigation and after the Congresswoman successfully helped pass a motion by Ranking Member Robert Garcia and Congresswoman Summer Lee to force the Committee to subpoena the Epstein files.

In recent interviews, Rep. Pressley described why her work to subpoena the Epstein files is deeply personal to her.

Throughout her time in Congress, Rep. Pressley has been a champion for justice for survivors of sexual violence and reproductive freedom.

In July 2024, Rep. Pressley reintroduced the Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination (BE HEARD) in the Workplace Act of 2024. In June 2024, Rep. Pressley renewed her calls for accountability and survivor-focused solutions following the damning reports of a toxic work environment at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).  In June 2024, Rep. Pressley also sent a letter to the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) requesting information about the botched closure of FCI Dublin, abuse of women while they were being transferred to other facilities, and BOP’s management of investigations into the staff sexual misconduct and abuse at FCI Dublin and other federal BOP facilities.

Rep. Pressley is also a lead co-sponsor of H.R. 5388, legislation that would prevent the Secretary of Education from rolling back Title IX protections for survivors, as well as H.Res. 560, a resolution calling for an impeachment inquiry into Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, following reporting on new allegations of sexual misconduct committed by the Associate Justice.

In April 2019, following the passage of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019, Rep. Pressley issued a statement honoring her mother, Sandra Pressley, a survivor of domestic violence. Rep. Pressley is also the lead co-sponsor of an amendment to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that would establish the first-ever grant program dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, which passed the House of Representatives in March 2021.

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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)

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)