[Pages S4459-S4460]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

                                 ______
                                 

  SENATE RESOLUTION 325--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE 
    DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SHOULD RELEASE APPROPRIATE, NON-SENSITIVE 
 MATERIALS RELATED TO THE INVESTIGATION OF JEFFREY EPSTEIN TO RESTORE 
  PUBLIC TRUST, AFFIRM INSTITUTIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY, AND PREVENT THE 
                       POLITICIZATION OF JUSTICE

  Mr. GALLEGO submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 325

       Whereas the investigation into the sex-trafficking network 
     operated by Jeffery Epstein (referred to in this preamble as 
     the ``Epstein investigation'') raised urgent questions about 
     how a wealthy, well-connected individual was able to commit 
     crimes against minors with impunity for years;
       Whereas, in July 2019, Epstein was arrested on Federal sex-
     trafficking charges and died by suicide weeks later in 
     Federal custody at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in 
     New York, precluding a public trial and full airing of 
     evidence;
       Whereas, following the death of Epstein, many victims, 
     advocates, and members of the public called for comprehensive 
     transparency and accountability, including access to 
     materials gathered during the Epstein investigation that 
     could be released lawfully;
       Whereas, in February 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi 
     stated on a television station broadcasted across the United 
     States that a ``client list'' related to the network operated 
     by Epstein was ``sitting on [her] desk'';
       Whereas Bondi, alongside the Director of the Federal Bureau 
     of Investigation Kash Patel and the Deputy Director of the 
     Federal Bureau of Investigation Dan Bongino, repeatedly 
     pledged to deliver full transparency, suggesting that key 
     documents, including flight logs and black books, were being 
     reviewed and prepared for public release;
       Whereas, in 2023, Patel stated that Epstein's ``black 
     book'' was ``under direct control of the Director of the 
     FBI'' and that Trump ``should roll out the black book'' on 
     day one;
       Whereas, in February 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi 
     distributed binders labeled ``The Epstein Files: Phase 1'' to 
     a group of right-wing influencers during a White House visit, 
     claiming they contained declassified materials from the 
     Epstein investigation;
       Whereas, in February 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi 
     publicly alleged that she was misled by the Federal Bureau of 
     Investigation regarding the scope of the Epstein 
     investigation files, stating in a letter to the Director of 
     the Federal Bureau of Investigation Kash Patel that a 
     whistleblower had informed her that the New York Field Office 
     for the Federal Bureau of Investigation was in possession of 
     thousands of pages of additional documents that had not been 
     disclosed despite repeated requests;
       Whereas these statements were amplified by senior officials 
     and widely disseminated across traditional and social media, 
     creating a legitimate public expectation that the Department 
     of Justice would release meaningful new disclosures;
       Whereas, in July 2025, the Department of Justice issued an 
     unsigned, 2-page memorandum stating there was no ``client 
     list'', no evidence of blackmail schemes involving public 
     figures, and that further disclosure of materials was not 
     ``appropriate or warranted'';
       Whereas the memo did not provide an explanation of how 
     these determinations were reached, nor did it specify which 
     documents had been reviewed or why materials earlier 
     described as forthcoming were now being withheld;
       Whereas this abrupt reversal, paired with a lack of 
     accountability or clarification from leadership in the 
     Department of Justice, has fueled further speculation, 
     intensified misinformation, and contributed to a public 
     perception that political considerations, not legal 
     standards, are governing disclosure decisions;
       Whereas victims of the abuse carried out by Epstein or 
     related to his trafficking network, along with the broader 
     public, deserve clarity on what happened, how evidence has 
     been handled, and whether any institutional failures 
     contributed to the delayed or incomplete pursuit of justice;
       Whereas public trust in the Department of Justice depends 
     on consistent, fact-based communications and a demonstrated 
     commitment to accountability that transcends political 
     pressure;
       Whereas the disclosure of non-sensitive materials, such as 
     timelines, investigatory summaries, indices of sealed 
     filings, and previously released documents in structured 
     formats, would serve the public interest while protecting the 
     privacy and dignity of victims; and
       Whereas the responsible release of information ensures that 
     public institutions are transparent, credible, and 
     accountable to the people they serve: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) prior to any other action related to the investigation 
     of Jeffery Epstein (referred to in this resolving clause as 
     the ``Epstein investigation''), the Department of Justice 
     should meet with the identified victims of Jeffery Epstein 
     and their representatives to answer questions about the 
     investigations and prosecutions related to the Epstein 
     investigation and to provide the materials the Department of 
     Justice intends to make public;
       (2) the Department of Justice should publicly clarify the 
     full scope of materials in its possession related to the 
     Epstein investigation, including which materials have been 
     reviewed and which remain under seal;
       (3) the Department of Justice should release all 
     appropriate records related to the

[[Page S4460]]

     Epstein investigation, such as flight manifests, 
     investigatory summaries, chain-of-custody documentation, and 
     any material previously entered into the public record but 
     not widely disseminated;
       (4) any internal memos or legal analyses justifying the 
     withholding of materials related to the Epstein investigation 
     should be released, in redacted form where appropriate, to 
     clarify the basis for the determinations of the Department of 
     Justice and protect the identity of victims;
       (5) the Department of Justice must correct prior misleading 
     or inaccurate statements by senior officials of the 
     Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation 
     regarding the existence of certain records, timelines for 
     review, and commitments to transparency, related to the 
     Epstein investigation;
       (6) public officials have a responsibility to communicate 
     accurately and responsibly, particularly in matters involving 
     victims of sex trafficking and public corruption, and failure 
     to do so undermines faith in the justice system;
       (7) the Senate reaffirms its support for full 
     accountability regarding the Epstein investigation, including 
     the identification of any co-conspirators, public or private, 
     whose conduct was criminal, and calls upon the Department of 
     Justice to explain what steps, if any, it has taken to pursue 
     such co-conspirators;
       (8) the Department of Justice should prioritize victim 
     protection in any future disclosures, including by redacting 
     personal information, withholding identifying images, and 
     ensuring that materials cannot be used to re-traumatize 
     victims or incite harassment; and
       (9) the Senate recognizes that truth and transparency are 
     essential to countering misinformation, preventing future 
     abuse, and preserving the integrity of public institutions 
     and the justice system.

                          ____________________