Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) speaks as House members hold a press conference along with alleged victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in Washington, DC, on Sept. 3, 2025.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene asks questions during Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle's congressional hearing on July 22, 2024.
A protester holds a sign related to the release of the Jeffrey Epstein case files outside of the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 12, 2025.

Following the release of emails sent by Jeffrey Epstein, Congress has set the stage for a vote to prompt the Trump administration to fully release files on the accused sex trafficker.

In the House of Representatives, a discharge petition to force a vote on the Justice Department releasing all files related to Epstein reached 218 signatures after Republican Speaker Mike Johnson swore in Arizona Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva on Nov. 12.

Grijalva, who won a special election to replace her late father, Raul Grijalva, promptly became the 218th signatory. Johnson said he'll schedule a vote on the measure in the House next week.

Democrats, the minority in the lower chamber, brought 214 signatures to the petition, with four Republicans joining the opposition party.

Here's what to know about the four GOP lawmakers.

Rep. Thomas Massie

Massie, R-Kentucky, has led the charge for the release of the files, along with House Democrats.

Earlier this year, Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-California, introduced legislation that would force the Justice Department to release a full version of the government's files on Epstein.

In July, Massie introduced what's known as a discharge petition for the legislation, which eventually reached the necessary 218 votes this week. The procedural step can force a vote on a bill, clearing other hurdles in the House.

Massie has continually said he thinks it's time for the people involved in Epstein's case to be "brought to justice," according to the Louisville Courier-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Rep. Lauren Boebert

Boebert, R-Colorado, faced pressure from the Trump administration to withdraw from the discharge petition.

A staunch Trump ally, Boebert received a call from Trump on Nov. 11, according to the New York Times. And on Nov. 12, she met with White House officials about the petition.

Boebert in a social media post thanked officials for the gathering, but she didn't say if she was going to withdraw from the effort. The Colorado lawmaker ultimately didn't remove her name.

“I want to thank White House officials for meeting with me today. Together, we remain committed to ensuring transparency for the American people,” she said.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene

The Georgia Republican has historically been a diehard defender of Trump. But in recent weeks. Greene has started to voice louder opposition to the Trump administration.

In July, when Massie first announced the discharge petition, Greene said in a social media post that she would sign it and that she “will never protect pedophiles or the elites and their circles.”

Similar to Boebert, Greene was contacted by a White House official who tried to pressure the Republican to withdraw from the petition, according to a September interview with the New York Times. But Greene stood firm.

“I told them, ‘You didn’t get me elected. I do not work for you; I work for my district,’” she told the outlet.

Greene said in a social media post that she expects more Republicans to vote for the release of the files next week.

“Next week, when everyone is forced to go on record to vote to release the Epstein files, I expect the number of Republicans to be a lot higher that actually vote yes,” Greene said. “But remember the original 4.”

Rep. Nancy Mace

Mace, who is also running for the governor's office in South Carolina, said she signed the petition in solidarity with sexual abuse and assault survivors.

“The Epstein petition is deeply personal,” Mace said in a social media post on Wednesday, Nov. 12.

In September, Mace left the House’s Oversight and Government Reform Committee closed-door meeting with Epstein victims after having "a very difficult time listening to their stories."

"Full-blown panic attack. Sweating. Hyperventilating. Shaking. I can’t breathe," Mace wrote on social media in describing her reaction to the testimony. Mace was seen in tears as she left.

In July, Mace said she hoped to see arrests in connection to the Epstein case.

“I’ve always been an advocate for women and children. The Jeffrey Epstein case is no different. I want to see arrests,” Mace said. “I want to see anyone who raped underage girls in handcuffs and behind bars.”

USA TODAY’s Zac Anderson, Bart Jansen, Joey Garrison and Josh Meyer contributed to this report.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Here are the four Republicans who helped force a vote on releasing Epstein files

Reporting by Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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