{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://shontelbrown.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-brown-votes-force-trump-release-epstein-files", "Congresswoman Brown Votes to Force Trump to Release the Epstein Files", "2025-11-18", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "OH", "Shontel M. Brown", "B001313", "shontelbrown.house.gov", "shontelbrown", "https://shontelbrown.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2014 Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) voted for legislation to force President Trump to release the Epstein Files. The Epstein Files Transparency Act (H.R. 4405) requires the Department of Justice to publish, in a searchable format, all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in DOJ\u2019s possession related to the investigation and prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein. The legislation includes measures to protect the privacy of survivors and ensure their personal information is redacted.\n\nBrown signed the discharge petition to require the bill to receive a vote in the House.\n\nThe vote follows months of delays from the Trump Administration and Republican leadership in Congress. The Epstein Files Transparency Act only came to the floor after 218 members signed the discharge petition in support of the bill, which forced Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson to bring it to the floor for a vote.\n\nCongresswoman Brown Releases the Following Statement\n\n\u201cMy vote to release the Epstein files is about justice for the survivors and accountability for the perpetrators and enablers. In Trump and Epstein\u2019s America the powerful, wealthy, and well-connected are unchecked and unaccountable \u2013 and that must end.\n\n\u201cMake no mistake, President Trump spent all last year talking nonstop about releasing these files. But this year, Trump has fought to conceal the Epstein Files and with each new release we can see why \u2013 he is a man with a lot to hide. As president, he\u2019s hiding the files \u2014 pressuring members to stay off the discharge petition and creating distraction after distraction. And it\u2019s no mystery why. The latest emails from the Epstein estate make one thing clear: Trump knew about Epstein\u2019s abuse and even spent hours alone with his victims.\n\n\u201cAnd that gets to the bigger picture: when the choice is between doing what\u2019s right for the American people and doing what\u2019s right for Donald Trump, Trump chooses Trump every single time. He\u2019ll spend endless energy protecting himself and the wealthy elites around him, but he won\u2019t lift a finger to lower people\u2019s bills, make life more affordable, or help families who are struggling.\n\n\u201cThe American people deserve the truth. Woe betide Senate Republicans who block this bill and block the release of the files. End the coverup, end the abuse of power, and release the files.\u201d\n\nOn Monday, Congresswoman Brown spoke on the House floor, calling out President Trump\u2019s misguided priorities, from the Epstein files to tax giveaways and pardons.\n\nBrown said, \u201che\u2019s working for you if you\u2019re wealthy, well-connected and don\u2019t want the Epstein files to see the light of day. But if you\u2019re struggling to afford rent or groceries? If premiums are breaking your budget? He\u2019s not working for you.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://shontelbrown.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-brown-votes-force-trump-release-epstein-files"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.875332720577717, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}