House Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday highlighted what he considers significant recent legislative achievements in Congress, arguing that the institution is returning to “regular order” and regaining functionality. He described the past several weeks as evidence that lawmakers can again steward taxpayer dollars responsibly and pass meaningful legislation. Johnson pointed to three bills recently signed into law as examples of this renewed effectiveness. Framing these developments as a step toward restoring public confidence in Congress, he acknowledged that the bar may seem low by historical standards but maintained that the legislative progress represents a turning point after periods of dysfunction and partisan gridlock.

A central issue during Johnson’s remarks was the anticipated House vote on releasing additional documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein. The Speaker stressed that the GOP-controlled House is likely to approve a measure this week that would make many of the remaining government-held Epstein files public. He also sought to dispel rumors and political narratives implying that former President Donald Trump is implicated in the files. Johnson insisted firmly that Trump “has nothing to do with” the Epstein records and expressed frustration that Democrats have attempted to center Trump in the conversation. According to Johnson, the association is unsubstantiated and politically motivated, further fueling unnecessary partisan tension around what he described as a transparency-focused initiative.

Johnson’s comments also included pointed criticism of Democrats’ handling of government funding debates. He accused Democratic lawmakers of voting 16 times to keep the government shut down in recent negotiations, suggesting that they prioritized political gains over public welfare. In his view, these votes reflected a strategic attempt to apply pressure rather than to resolve the funding impasse. Johnson’s narrative emphasized that House Republicans, by contrast, worked diligently to end the shutdown and move government operations forward. By presenting Democrats as obstructionist, he underscored GOP efforts to demonstrate legislative responsibility at a moment of heightened public scrutiny.

The Speaker also described the Democratic focus on the Epstein files as a tactical maneuver rather than a substantive oversight concern. Johnson noted that when he offered a discharge petition on the House floor to fast-track the release of more Epstein-related information, Democrats objected—despite their public calls for transparency. He argued that this contradiction revealed the political nature of their actions. Johnson further claimed the House Oversight Committee is already releasing more information than the discharge petition itself envisioned, rendering the petition symbolic more than practical. This framing allowed him to portray Republicans as the true advocates of disclosure while characterizing Democratic efforts as performative rather than constructive.

Meanwhile, Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie predicted that “100 or more” House Republicans could vote in favor of the bill to release additional Epstein files. Massie, working alongside Democrat Ro Khanna, previously led a discharge petition designed to compel the administration to provide more details to Congress and the public. Their bipartisan effort succeeded in advancing the issue, and Johnson confirmed that a House vote on the bill is expected in the coming days. Massie’s involvement underscores that interest in further transparency extends beyond one wing of the Republican Party, reflecting a broader coalition seeking access to long-withheld documents.

Massie also expressed hope that the upcoming vote would yield a veto-proof majority—a two-thirds threshold in both chambers—thereby ensuring the release of the documents regardless of presidential approval. He urged Republican colleagues to consider how their votes will be viewed historically, arguing that the political implications extend far beyond the current moment or any connection to Donald Trump. According to Massie, opposing the release of the files would be damaging to lawmakers’ reputations, as the significance of revealing Epstein-related information will outlast any short-term political calculations. In his view, embracing transparency is both a moral imperative and a legacy-defining decision for members of Congress.