PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) helped introduce a bill on Wednesday, aiming to hold the United States Department of Justice accountable for its handling of the Epstein files.

A group of lawmakers, led by Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY), introduced House Resolution 9694, the Epstein Files Transparency Act II.

The bill would allow state attorneys general, the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirators along with members of Congress to challenge the DOJ in court for failing to comply with the original Epstein Files Transparency Act — which directed the DOJ to release materials related to the sex trafficking investigation of the late financier.

Representatives Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) are co-leading the bill in the House. Meanwhile, Senators Merkley and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) are leading the Senate version of the bill.

“At Trump’s bidding, the Department of Justice’s highest-ranking officials continue to break the law, denying justice to Jeffrey Epstein’s victims with an unprecedented cover-up of the abuse of our most vulnerable,” said Sen. Merkley. 

“As long as those in power continue to side with the Epstein Class and shield abusers from accountability for their horrific crimes, we need the Epstein Files Transparency Act II to strengthen the original law we wrote, crack down on the DOJ’s illegal non-compliance, and stand with survivors and those seeking justice,” Merkley added. “The rich and powerful cannot be allowed to escape justice, and the American public deserves the transparency it is crying out for.”

The bill has several provisions, including allowing attorneys general, members of Congress and victims to sue the DOJ for unlawfully withholding, redacting, delaying, concealing, removing or failing to publish Epstein-related records.

The bill would also give victims the right to obtain full, unredacted records concerning themselves or the harm they suffered and allows state and local prosecutors access to unredacted records needed for investigations or prosecutions.

The bill additionally bans the invocation of common law privileges, such as deliberative process privileges — which can allow government agencies to withhold testimony or deliberations from third parties. That way, the government cannot try to evade disclosure requirements under the original EFTA, officials said.

“Since the Epstein Files Transparency Act was signed into law on Nov. 19, 2025, the Department of Justice has flagrantly and consistently ignored EFTA’s disclosure requirements,” said Rep. Massie.

“The Department of Justice continues to unlawfully withhold over 3 million Epstein files that should be released to the public,” Massie continued. “In addition, the DOJ is unlawfully maintaining heavy redactions on the files it is releasing. State attorneys general and victims should have the right to sue the Attorney General of the United States to compel compliance with a transparency law President Trump signed.”

“Todd Blanche and the Department of Justice have refused to release as many as 3 million Epstein files: they are hiding the truth from the American people and creating even more injustice and trauma for survivors,” said Congresswoman Leger Fernández. “When Trump’s administration does not comply with the law, there must be consequences. Attorney General Blanche is not fit to serve, should not be confirmed, and should instead resign. In the meantime, we must pass this bill to put power where it belongs—with survivors. No administration, no Attorney General, and no Department of Justice is above the law.”

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez also lauded the legislation. Torrez’s support for the bill comes after he launched an investigation into Epstein’s New Mexico property, known as Zorro Ranch, earlier this year.

“Survivors have waited too long for answers, and my office has waited too long for the federal government to turn over the unredacted records we need to complete our criminal investigation,” said Attorney General Torrez. “This legislation gives state law enforcement the access this investigation requires, and it gives survivors control over their own records. Every day of delay is another day survivors are denied the justice they are owed.” 

Sen. Merkley’s office noted that if the House does not consider the bill in seven legislative days, a discharge petition will be circulated. The petition would bring the bill to a floor vote without approval from a committee.

Representatives with the U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately respond to KOIN 6 News’ request for comment.

This follow-up bill comes as lawmakers, including Merkley, have previously called for an independent audit of the DOJ’s release of the files, alleging the release violated the initial Epstein Files Transparency Act. The law required the DOJ to redact information to protect victims and to avoid redacting the names of anyone based on potential reputational harm or political sensitivity.

The lawmakers pointed to several reports showing the DOJ failed to comply with the transparency act’s requirements, including reporting from the New York Times that the DOJ published dozens of nude images contained in the files and reporting from the BBC that thousands of Epstein files were taken offline after victims were identified by information from the release.

In January, the DOJ released more than three million pages and files of Epstein-related records, including over 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, according to the lawmakers.

Despite the Transparency Act’s guidelines to protect the victims, the senators say the released records included unredacted information on the victims, such as email addresses and nude photos, in which their names could be publicly identified, and non-public victims could be identified.

However, other information was left redacted, such as information identifying powerful business and political figures who are alleged co-conspirators or material witnesses, the lawmakers claimed.

In response to the call for an audit, a DOJ official previously told KOIN 6 News this was a “tired narrative.”

“Just because you wish something to be true, doesn’t mean it is,” the official said. “This Department has produced millions of pages in compliance with the law, disclosed to the public and to Congress what items were not responsive, and have allowed Members of Congress to review unredacted and duplicative files at their convenience in the name of full transparency. Our press release and letters to Congress clearly spell this out.”