FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 18, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representative Adelita Grijalva, the Sexual Violence Prevention Association (SVPA), and 47 national organizations gathered at the House Triangle to deliver a joint letter urging Congress to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act. This was the first press conference to bring both Senators and Representatives together on this bill, marking the most unified federal call for Epstein transparency and prompting bicameral action. Full CSPAN coverage here.
The coalition delivered the largest coordinated organizational letter assembled on this issue, signed by 48 diverse national organizations, including many leading groups that rarely sign onto the same action. Together, they urged Congress to swiftly pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act and release the full Epstein and Maxwell records with only narrow protections for victims and national security.
Members of Congress, survivors, and movement leaders emphasized that decades of secrecy have protected abusers, harmed survivors, and eroded public trust. The letter arrives at a pivotal moment, with both the House and the Senate voting to pass the bill just hours later.
Speakers Included
- Omny Miranda Martone, Founder & CEO, Sexual Violence Prevention Association (SVPA)
- Representative Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ-7)
- Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ)
- Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA-42)
- Representative Kelly Morrison (D-MN-3)
- Fatima Goss Graves, President, National Women’s Law Center Action Fund
- Jenna Sherman, Campaign Director, UltraViolet
Why This Stands Out
- First bicameral press conference bringing senators and representatives together on the Epstein Files Transparency Act
- Largest coordinated organizational letter on this issue to date
- 48 national organizations, including many major, well-known groups that rarely sign letters together
- Household names like MeToo International, Women’s March, and National Organization for Women
- Critical timing for survivor-led broad support, prompting House and Senate passage
What the Letter Calls For
- Immediate passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act
- Full release of all Epstein and Maxwell records, with only necessary victim-protective and national-security redactions
- Removal of redactions shielding powerful abusers, institutions, or enablers
- Transparency, accountability, and systemic reform to prevent future harms
What Happens Next
- Now, the bill moves to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.
- Once signed, the files must be released within 30 days in a “searchable and downloadable format”
- There is concern that the Attorney General Pam Bondi could abuse her ability to redact materials that threaten survivors’ privacy or threaten national security.
- Survivors and partner organizations will continue pressing lawmakers until the full truth is released.
Quotes
“As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, I know what it means to wait for the truth. That experience gives me a deep empathy for the survivors speaking out today, and an even deeper horror that our government has failed them so profoundly,” said Omny Miranda Martone, Founder and CEO of the Sexual Violence Prevention Association (SVPA). “Survivors have waited long enough. The truth is not dangerous… unless you’re an abuser. This is not a partisan issue, it’s a moral one. The President must sign the Epstein Files Transparency Act and release the full records now.”
National Center on Sexual Exploitation Survivor Services Coordinator Teresa Helm, an Epstein/Maxwell survivor, said, “Republicans and Democrats, we all stand together today. We all stand together for justice and we must continue to do so to protect the integrity of our country and our democracy. Our voices are a fundamental pillar of future generations. Today that’s what we stand here for – accountability, action, and justice.”
“This isn’t politics. This is about justice. And anyone suggesting otherwise is ignoring the reality of what these young women endured at the hands of these men,” said Fatima Goss Graves, President of the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund. “And, you know, I have to say, as a leader in the fight for gender justice, today I would not have imagined in this time that I would be speaking with the same voice as some of the members who have joined in support of the discharge petition. We disagree strongly on many, many issues, and today, we are able to all come together and demand the release of information on abuse, especially those who currently hold positions of power. And we agree that people across this country deserve to know.”
“Today’s nearly unanimous House vote to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act was made possible by the survivors of Epstein and Maxwell’s child abuse network. These survivors’ bravery, resilience, and conviction are quite literally changing our political reality,” said Jenna Sherman, Campaign Director at UltraViolet. “Child sexual abuse is an epidemic that impacts all of us, regardless of background or political party. It should not ever be considered “political” therefore, to stand up against child sexual abuse. Now, all eyes are on President Trump to do the right thing and make sure that this bill gets signed into law.”
###
