Fact check: How many congress members have called for the release of the Epstein files?

Executive Summary — Short Answer Up Front

At present, the available reporting does not provide a definitive count of how many members of Congress have publicly called for the release of Jeffrey Epstein–related files; the materials identify specific lawmakers pressing for disclosure but do not enumerate total supporters. Named congressional actors include Rep. Nathan Davidson, who introduced a resolution urging release, Rep. Thomas Massie, who is leading a bill to force Department of Justice disclosures, and House Oversight Committee action under Chairman Comer that has produced related document releases. The cited pieces span Sept. 16–24, 2025 and consistently lack a comprehensive member tally ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}.

1. Who publicly pushed for release — named lawmakers and committee activity

Reporting identifies discrete congressional actors initiating or driving efforts to disclose Epstein materials: Rep. Nathan Davidson proposed a resolution aimed at compelling release and framing the move as rectifying injustice; Rep. Thomas Massie introduced legislation to force DOJ disclosure and has been described as leading a push within his GOP allies; and the House Oversight Committee under its chairman has published new documents and pressed for additional records. These accounts emphasize active proponents rather than a membership count, making clear that several visible efforts exist but stopping short of tallying supporters ^{[1] [2] [3]}.

2. What the sources actually say — gaps and emphases in the coverage

The available pieces focus on individual initiatives and committee releases rather than a roll call of endorsers. One article centers on a Pennsylvania representative’s resolution without listing cosponsors or co-signers, and another frames Massie as the sponsor of a bill ahead of a House vote without specifying the number of House members backing it. Oversight Committee reporting documents new disclosures but does not translate committee activity into a count of members seeking full public release. In short, the coverage documents momentum and leadership but omits a comprehensive supporter list ^{[1] [2] [3]}.

3. Conflicting signals and political context worth noting

The pieces reflect different institutional levers—a private member resolution, proposed statute to compel the DOJ, and oversight committee releases—each with distinct political dynamics. Massie’s bill, described as advancing toward a House vote, suggests potential for wider congressional involvement if it garners cosponsors or majority support, whereas Davidson’s resolution models a symbolic or oversight-focused approach. The Oversight Committee’s public releases demonstrate institutional transparency efforts but do not equate to a political count of all who favor full disclosure. These distinctions matter for understanding why a simple numeric answer is not present in the sources ^{[2] [1] [3]}.

4. What the reporting says about broader coalitions and cues of support

One account specifically mentions the Freedom Caucus and frames Massie’s effort as linked to a faction of Republicans seeking disclosure, implying group interest though not providing a membership tally. The mention of caucus involvement signals potential organized support beyond lone sponsors, but again the sources stop short of naming cosponsors or quantifying backers. That pattern—references to factions and committee actions without hard counts—repeats across the reporting and explains why the total number of congressional calls for release remains undocumented in these items ^{[4] [2]}.

5. Dates and sequencing: a rapid flurry of activity in late September 2025

All cited reports cluster in a narrow window from Sept. 16 to Sept. 24, 2025, showing concentrated momentum: Oversight Committee documents were publicized mid-September, followed by Massie’s bill and Davidson’s resolution later in the month. This sequencing underlines an intensifying push within a short period rather than a long-gestating, enumerated campaign of thousands of members. The temporal concentration can produce headlines about multiple actions without producing a unified list of endorsers across those actions ^{[3] [4] [1]}.

6. Bottom line and what remains unanswered in the record

Based on the available reporting, the concrete answer to “How many members of Congress have called for the release of the Epstein files?” is not established: the sources name specific sponsors and committee initiatives but provide no aggregate count or cosponsor roster. The documented actors include Rep. Nathan Davidson, Rep. Thomas Massie, and House Oversight Committee leadership, with references to GOP factional interest, yet no article supplies a definitive tally or a verified list of lawmakers demanding release. Those gaps explain why only an incomplete picture emerges from the record provided ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}.