A Letter From Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell

Floor Speech

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Ms. MORRISON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to read a letter from more than 20 survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. I implore my colleagues and all Americans to listen to their words.

Dear Members of the Republican Women's Caucus:

We write to you today with urgency, respect, and hope. Strong American women are serving in the House of Representatives, and survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's abuse need you to stand with them.

It is difficult to articulate the appreciation that we have for each member of the Democratic Women's Caucus who took the time to meet with us on September 3, 2025. Because of the intrepid leadership of Chairwoman Teresa Leger Fernandez and the Congresswomen who gathered together to support us, we left the Capitol with dignity and resolve. We are likewise eternally grateful to Congresswomen Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, and Nancy Mace, as well as to Congressman Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna, for taking bold steps to help us in our quest for justice. While we are at a loss for how supporting survivors or transparency could ever be seen as a ``hostile act,'' what you are doing is not only right, it is necessary. This is not a partisan issue. It is a human issue.

Jeffrey Epstein abused hundreds of women. The United States Government itself held evidence that he had sexually abused 40 children. Some of us are those children. Any other American man would have been imprisoned for life, yet Epstein was not. Instead, he was shielded by a nonprosecution agreement that blatantly violated the rights of children, and he was set free to continue abusing women in this country for another 9 years before his death.

Our government conspired with him and, in doing so, failed to protect hundreds of girls who would never have been harmed had our government simply done its job.

Those children are now grown women. We stand together in pain and resilience, and we are asking for your help. We have a right to feel safe in this country. We have a right to know why a serial sexual predator was treated with more humanity than we have ever experienced from our own government.

You now have the chance to be on the right side of history. Unlike past administrations, you are uniquely positioned to tell us that our voices matter and that we have finally been heard. Some of us live in your districts. We look to you to represent us. We deserve for you to represent us.

We implore you to stop protecting those who enabled Epstein's crimes and instead stand firm in protecting the women and children he harmed. Stand up against abuse of power. Take action to end the silence and speculation surrounding this criminal. There should be equal protection under the laws in the United States of America. This is one country, not two. The rich and powerful should answer for their crimes the same way that everyone else does. And when they don't, we deserve to know why.

Ghislaine Maxwell was tried by a jury of her peers for the crimes that she committed, and she was convicted. That is how the American justice system works. The idea of a pardon is beyond the comprehension of the victims who mustered the courage to testify against her and should be beyond the comprehension of the American people. No one should live above the law. Ghislaine Maxwell is certainly no exception.

You may be wondering how you can help us in this fight. At least we hope that you are. As American women, please hear our voices, for yourselves, for your daughters, for women, and for the future of our country.

First, we ask that you vote in favor of the Epstein transparency act and that you help us ensure with its passing that the identities of survivors are protected and the identities of the perpetrators or enablers are not. Remind us that America is the country that we thought it was when we were little girls, before we were let down repeatedly by our own government.

Second, start with H.R. 9444 and rewrite the Crime Victims' Rights Act, as codified in 18 United States Code section 3771 to protect future generations of Americans.

Third, extend the same opportunity that the Democratic Women's Caucus did and invite us to meet with you so that we can try to convince you that we matter. We will come back to Washington. We will tell you why we matter. We will tell you why this matters.

We are not a ``hoax.'' We are mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, and wives. We are America. We have sought justice for decades to no avail. We have been denied the basic rights that should be afforded to every American citizen time and time again. The fact that it took this long for anyone to care about us is a true American tragedy. Please stand with us, help us uncover the truth, and give us the respect and justice that we deserve. We deserve to put this chapter behind us. Americans deserve to move forward knowing that they have rights in this country that will be enforced even in the face of power; in fact, especially in the face of power.

With hope and resolve.

Signed by more than 20 survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

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