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119-s-5005119th Congress

Epstein Files Transparency Act II

Sponsored By: Senator Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would create a new enforcement framework that lets state and local officials, victims, and Congress compel full, unredacted records about Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and their criminal network. It would allow civil suits and require courts to advance and quickly decide claims when the Department of Justice withholds, redacts, or delays material.

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  • Victims: Victims could obtain full, unredacted records that identify or relate to them, including FD-302 files, with limited redactions only to protect other victims' private medical or identifying information.
  • State and local prosecutors: State attorneys general and district attorneys could sue the U.S. Attorney General in the District of Columbia or in-state court for declaratory, injunctive, and monetary relief, costs, and attorney's fees. Courts must move these cases quickly, and defined harms include investigative, informational, and financial harm above $100.
  • Members of Congress and DOJ personnel: Any Member of Congress may receive full unredacted access within 7 calendar days of a written request and may sue for violations. Department of Justice components and personnel who conceal, destroy, falsify, or withhold records face penalties tied to federal criminal provisions such as 18 U.S.C. 1001, 1505, 1519, and 2071.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

State prosecutors' access to records

If enacted, State attorneys general, district attorneys, and authorized state officers could get full, unredacted copies of covered records for a state investigation or court case. Classified records would be available for review in a secure facility under court-approved procedures. The DOJ Touhy rules would not block these requests, and states could use and retain records subject to protective orders. States could sue the Attorney General to compel production, and courts would be required to advance and expedite those cases.

Full records access for victims

If enacted, people the bill defines as victims would be able to request full, unredacted records about themselves. Victim status could be shown by DOJ/FBI identification, linkage to an FD-302 or investigative file, or a sworn declaration. The Attorney General generally could not use common-law privileges to withhold or redact these records. Victims who say records were unlawfully withheld could sue in federal court, and courts would have to move those cases quickly.

Congressional access to Epstein files

If enacted, any Member of Congress could request full, unredacted records described in the bill and the Attorney General would have to provide access within seven calendar days of a written request. This requirement would apply even if other law would otherwise limit access. Members could sue to enforce the requirement and seek court orders and fees if the Attorney General failed to comply.

Penalties for DOJ record concealment

If enacted, DOJ, FBI, and U.S. Attorney employees, including senior officials, would face criminal penalties for concealing, destroying, falsifying, withholding, or making materially false statements about records required under the bill. The bill ties such conduct to existing federal crimes (for example, 18 U.S.C. §§1001, 1505, 1519, 2071) and keeps the usual intent rules for those crimes. The provision treats related congressional compliance and agency jurisdiction matters as covered for those statutes.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

OR • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 7/15/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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