In a Monday night showdown, House Republicans refused to attach a Democratic amendment to a major cryptocurrency and defense funding package—an amendment that would have forced the Justice Department to upload the Jeffrey Epstein files online within 30 days. The move passed through the House Rules Committee on a narrow 5‑6 vote.
The amendment, introduced by Representative Ro Khanna (D‑Calif.), aimed to have Attorney General Pam Bondi publish all documents linked to Epstein on a publicly accessible website. Republicans on the panel argued it had nothing to do with the GENIUS Act—a bill creating a first‑ever regulatory framework for stablecoins—or the accompanying defense funding, calling the amendment “irrelevant.”
But in a moment that stunned both sides, Representative Ralph Norman (R‑S.C.) broke ranks, voting with four Democrats to attach Khanna’s amendment. Meanwhile, Representative Chip Roy (R‑Texas), known for occasional party dissent, simply didn’t cast a vote.
Democrat James McGovern called out the GOP leadership: “This is about trust. Republicans said, ‘Trust us. Vote for us and we will release these files.’ Well here we are—they’re backtracking.” The sentiment highlighted growing frustration among House Democrats.
On the flip side, Rules Committee Chair Virginia Foxx (R‑N.C.) defended the committee’s move as procedurally appropriate, saying, “I think most of us believe what’s appropriate will be released when it is time for the president to release it.”
