Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking network are set to return to the U.S. Capitol next week to renew their call for Congress to release the long-sealed Epstein files. The group will hold another press conference urging lawmakers to force a vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a bipartisan bill that seeks to make public the documents connected to Epstein’s criminal empire and alleged associates.
The event, scheduled for Wednesday, October 8, will feature survivors alongside Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California, the bill’s co-sponsors. Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of the few members of her party backing the legislation, is also expected to attend.
This will be the second such press conference in just over a month. The previous one, held September 3, drew attention not only for the survivors’ emotional testimonies but also for an unexpected disruption—when a fighter jet, reportedly ordered by former President Donald Trump, flew overhead and drowned out their remarks.
At that earlier event, survivor Chauntae Davies spoke about Trump’s long-standing relationship with Epstein, claiming the disgraced financier often bragged about their friendship. “Jeffrey and Ghislaine were always very boastful about their friends, their famous and powerful friends, and his biggest brag, forever, was that he was very good friends with Donald Trump,” Davies said.
Just days later, The Wall Street Journal published Trump’s now-infamous birthday card to Epstein, which featured a drawing of a nude woman. Trump, now 79, has since dismissed the Epstein controversy as a “hoax,” though he previously said during his 2024 campaign that he would be open to releasing the files.
Despite bipartisan support for transparency, progress on the bill has stalled. A petition to force a floor vote is deadlocked, with one remaining signature needed to move it forward. That signature would come from newly elected Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva, whose swearing-in has been delayed by Speaker Mike Johnson.
Johnson said Thursday he planned to swear in Grijalva “next week,” but on Friday announced that Congress would adjourn for a “district work period.” His office has not responded to inquiries about whether he still intends to follow through.
Meanwhile, Reps. Khanna, Massie, and Greene have vowed to remain in Washington during the recess. For Epstein’s survivors, the fight for truth — and transparency — continues.