STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Today, Congress returns to Washington to find Jeffrey Epstein waiting for them.
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
To be precise, they face a demand to reveal information about the late convicted sex offender who had connections to many powerful and famous people before his death in 2019. President Trump's administration decided not to release information about Epstein after promising that it would. Now, in a bipartisan effort, two lawmakers plan to appear this week with Epstein's victims, while gathering signatures on a petition that would force Republican leaders to allow a vote on releasing the files.
INSKEEP: It's a vote many Trump supporters want, although the president does not. It's all been a big hoax.
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PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: It's perpetrated by the Democrats, and some stupid Republicans and foolish Republicans fall into the net.
FADEL: Though some materials have been released to the House Oversight Committee, Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna introduced the Epstein Files Transparency Act to try to uncover more details of the investigation. Here's Massie in July.
THOMAS MASSIE: People have wanted these files for years. And then, you know, the president's staff, administration, his own children, his vice president have promised that these files would come out, and now we're being told it's a hoax? It just doesn't wash.
INSKEEP: So Massie and Khanna have released this bill, which includes a discharge petition, as it's called, which would circumvent the traditional congressional process, get around leaders who don't want to vote. And in late July, House Speaker Mike Johnson sent lawmakers home early, which slowed down the progress of that petition.
FADEL: Here he is on NBC's "Meet The Press."
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MIKE JOHNSON: House Republicans insist upon the release of all credible evidence and information related to Epstein in any way. But we are also insisting upon the protection of innocent victims, and our concern is that the Massie and Khanna discharge petition is reckless in the way that it is drafted and presented. It does not adequately include those protections.
FADEL: Massie and Khanna's bill does provide protection for victims to avoid the release of their private information.
INSKEEP: So starting today, House members can officially sign the petition, which would move the bill to a vote by the full chamber. It currently has 12 Republican co-sponsors, meaning that if all Democrats should also approve, they would reach the required 218 signatures - a majority. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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