PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) helped introduce a bill on Wednesday, aiming to hold the United States Department of Justice accountable for its handling of the Epstein files.
A group of lawmakers, led by Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY), introduced House Resolution 9694, the Epstein Files Transparency Act II.
The bill would allow state attorneys general, the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirators along with members of Congress to challenge the DOJ in court for failing to comply with the original Epstein Files Transparency Act — which directed the DOJ to release materials related to the sex trafficking investigation of the late financier.
Representatives Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) are co-leading the bill in the House. Meanwhile, Senators Merkley and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) are leading the Senate version of the bill.
The bill has several provisions, including allowing attorneys general, members of Congress and victims to sue the DOJ for unlawfully withholding, redacting, delaying, concealing, removing or failing to publish Epstein-related records.
The bill would also give victims the right to obtain full, unredacted records concerning themselves or the harm they suffered and allows state and local prosecutors access to unredacted records needed for investigations or prosecutions.
The bill additionally bans the invocation of common law privileges, such as deliberative process privileges — which can allow government agencies to withhold testimony or deliberations from third parties. That way, the government cannot try to evade disclosure requirements under the original EFTA, officials said.
“Since the Epstein Files Transparency Act was signed into law on Nov. 19, 2025, the Department of Justice has flagrantly and consistently ignored EFTA’s disclosure requirements,” said Rep. Massie.
“The Department of Justice continues to unlawfully withhold over 3 million Epstein files that should be released to the public,” Massie continued. “In addition, the DOJ is unlawfully maintaining heavy redactions on the files it is releasing. State attorneys general and victims should have the right to sue the Attorney General of the United States to compel compliance with a transparency law President Trump signed.”
Sen. Merkley’s office noted that if the House does not consider the bill in seven legislative days, a discharge petition will be circulated. The petition would bring the bill to a floor vote without approval from a committee.
Archive link: https://megalodon.jp/2026-0717-0710-13/https://www.koin.com:443/news/politics/oregon-senator-merkley-second-epstein-files-act/
The linked article is much longer (see archive link) but this is the essence of it. EFTA II will close the loopholes in EFTA I as well as add additional rights and protections to everyone NOT trying to keep the Epstein files hidden.
Of note is the pre-emptive warning of a discharge petition, meaning that before this bill has even been considered, those involved in writing it are notifying the House Speaker that they will get it brought onto the floor for voting without him.
The archive link is new to me, megalodon.jp, but it has the content. If anyone has a problem with it let me know and I’ll get a different one.
Should have been in the first bill, but this is good too.
The authors realized having a right of action was important much too late. Maybe the hope was that congress would force it on trump but obviously that didn’t work out.
“Wait, we have to redact them again.”
Overdue but hell yeah Merk, you’ll get my vote next time with actions like this.
