In July 2025, the House came within one vote of forcing the public release of the Epstein files. Rep. Ro Khanna had proposed an amendment requiring the Justice Department to collect and publish all Epstein-related records within 30 days. Democrats tried to make that amendment eligible for a vote during debate on a crypto bill, but Republicans used a procedural motion to block it. The deciding vote was on whether to allow that amendment to move forward—and it passed 211–210. Rep. Jeff Van Drew voted “yes” on that motion, making his vote one of the deciding votes that prevented the Epstein files from being released.
- Rep. Ro Khanna filed text to add a section requiring the Attorney General to “retain, preserve, and compile” all Epstein-related records and to “release and publish” them on a publicly accessible website within 30 days. (s3.documentcloud.org)
- During floor debate on July 15, 2025, House managers for the minority stated their intent to use the pending rule to make the Khanna release amendment in order if the majority’s “previous question” motion was defeated. (congress.gov)
- The special rule governing the crypto bill (S. 1582, the GENIUS Act) was a closed rule, meaning no amendments—including Khanna’s release text—would be allowed absent procedural changes to the rule. (rules.house.gov)
- The House Rules Committee rejected Democrats’ attempt to attach Khanna’s release amendment to the rule, defeating it in committee the night before the floor fight. (axios.com)
- Under House practice, if the “previous question” on a rule is defeated, control shifts to the opposition, which may then offer an amendment to the rule—e.g., to make a specific amendment (like Khanna’s release language) in order. Ordering the previous question prevents such amendments. (congress.gov)
¶ The pivotal floor motion to prevent any change that would allow the release mandate passed by one vote
- On July 15, 2025, the House ordered the previous question on H.Res. 580 by 211–210—exactly a one‑vote margin—thereby blocking any minority amendment to open the rule for the Epstein‑files release text that day. (congress.gov)
- The official roll call shows Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R‑NJ) voted Yea to order the previous question on H.Res. 580; because the motion carried 211–210, every Yea—including Van Drew’s—was necessary for it to pass and thus to prevent the release measure from being made in order. (congress.gov)