1. United States
2. N.M.
3. Letter

Jan 3 was the statutory deadline for the Department of Justice to submit to Congress a written justification for any documents from the Jeffrey Epstein files that were redacted or withheld. That requirement, along with the December 19 deadline for releasing the files themselves, was established by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which passed overwhelmingly in both houses and became law on November 19, 2025. The Department of Justice has missed both deadlines. This is not a technical oversight or a matter of agency discretion. Congress enacted a clear statute, and the executive branch is legally obligated to comply. Failure to do so constitutes defiance of the law and an erosion of Congress’s constitutional oversight authority. As information from the Epstein files continues to emerge, the public has learned information that heightens, rather than diminishes,  the urgency of full disclosure. Congress possesses ample legal authority to respond when the executive branch ignores statutory commands. That authority includes compelling compliance through civil enforcement actions, invoking contempt powers, conditioning appropriations, and—where warranted—initiating impeachment proceedings against officials who knowingly violate federal law. These tools exist precisely to prevent executive stonewalling in matters of public accountability. At the same time, the Trump regime is redirecting national attention toward manufactured crises, including escalating confrontation with Venezuela. Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act because the public demanded answers and accountability in a case involving extraordinary abuse of power and influence. Allowing the Department of Justice to ignore that law without consequence would set a dangerous precedent: that statutes passed by overwhelming bipartisan majorities can be nullified through delay and silence. I urge you to act immediately to enforce the Epstein Files, demand sworn explanations for missed deadlines and redactions, and use every lawful mechanism available to ensure full compliance. Transparency delayed is accountability denied, and the credibility of our justice system depends on Congress asserting its authority now.