“On this vote, the ‘yeas’ are 427, the ‘nays’ are one. Two-thirds being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.” “To the president of the United States of America, who is not here today, I want to send a clear message to you: While I do understand that your position has changed on the Epstein files, and I’m grateful that you have pledged to sign this bill, I can’t help to be skeptical of what the agenda is.” “This was a fight that we should have never had to wage. It should have been the easiest thing for every single member of Congress. It should have been the easiest thing for the speaker of the House. It should have been the easiest thing for the president of the United States to release all the information, every single file, on behalf of these American women.” “We had to drag this leadership here kicking and screaming. And I appreciate their sudden and stunning change of heart on this issue. But I want to state for the record that the Republican leadership has tried to block this day for months and months and months. And I also want to state for the record that Donald Trump could release these files on his own today.” Reporter: “Mr. President, why wait for Congress to release the Epstein files? Why not just do it now?” “You know, it’s not the question that I mind. It’s your attitude. I think you are a terrible reporter.” “Having now forced the vote, none of us want to go on record and — and in any way be accused of not being for maximum transparency. So the only intellectually consistent position to have right now, the only way to ensure that both of those things are true at the same time is to allow for everyone to vote their conscience and to go on record to say, of course, of course, we’re for maximum transparency.”