The Latest Breaking News from Mike Johnson

“Make no mistake, if this is not a step in the right direction, but a delaying tactic, then other options will be on the table,” one says.

Ahead of the House vote to release the Epstein files, Johnson oozed confidence that the Senate would amend the bill

The Senate officially cleared legislation to compel the release of files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

This would be Trump's final roll of the dice.

The Senate moved swiftly Tuesday to advance a bill forcing the Justice Department to release more information about its case against the late Jeffrey Epstein, acting just hours after the House overwhelmingly approved the measure and sending it to President Donald Trump, who had spent months trying to block it.

NEWS ANALYSIS: In Congress, Mike Johnson stayed in lockstep with the president on the issue of the Epstein files. That alliance cost him politically, writes John Bowden

The legislation passed with no objections, which means the the bill will go immediately to Trump’s desk once the House hands it over

The poll comes just hours before the House voted to force the DOJ to release its files on Epstein

The House votes to release Jeffrey Epstein files, but Speaker Mike Johnson urges the Senate to amend the bill, citing privacy concerns for innocent individuals involved.

Measure compels the government to make all files on the convicted sex trafficker public, but still needs Senate passage, as questions mount over whether DOJ will comply after new probe ordered by Trump last week

While the vote marks an important step in backers' crusade to get the files released, significant barriers remain.