COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — The U.S. House is expected to vote Tuesday to force the Department of Justice to release all files related to the sex crimes of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The bill would still need to go to the Senate before reaching President Donald Trump's desk, which he has indicated he will sign.
Sky and Amanda Roberts, who live in El Paso County are in the nation’s capital ahead of the vote. Sky Roberts’ sister, Virginia Roberts Giuffre was one of Epstein’s victims, she died by suicide in April.
"Tomorrow's a huge day for her and for the survivors, and, you know, we're going to keep fighting. We're not going to stop," Sky Roberts said.
"People are really starting to drop the political party out of this situation and really listen to survivors, and that's what we've been asking for," Amanda Roberts, Giuffre’s sister in law said.
The Roberts family credits Giuffre's work for getting to the point where lawmakers are voting to release the Epstein files.
"It also just hits you the loss, you know that she's not here to see this moment. It's her advocacy, her bravery, her courage that really brought this story to the forefront," Amanda Roberts said. Tuesday's vote has been a long time coming for the Roberts family, but they say the work isn't over yet.
"We genuinely will not stop until we get some sort of justice," Sky Roberts said.
The "Epstein Files Transparency Act," will still need Senate approval before making it to Trump's desk.
The Roberts say those involved still need to be held accountable beyond releasing the files.
"We have to hold them accountable within the laws that we're capable of doing, even though there are things like statute of limitations," Sky Roberts said.
Trump previously called the release of the Epstein files a "Democrat hoax."
Over the weekend he reversed course and on Monday, said he would sign the bill to release the Epstein files if it made it to his desk.
"I think, like, we're ready. We're ready for, like, meaningful change. We're ready for meaningful conversations to take place. I think we're tired of just words transpiring, but it is a slap in the face in the sense that he [President Trump] has yet to acknowledge survivors. He really has yet to even acknowledge my sister," Sky Roberts said.
"I spoke with a senator,” Amanda Roberts said, “ and I said you know, it's been on the survivor shoulders this entire time. The burden, the weight, the threats, the shame that they have been given publicly. It's our turn to take this load from them, and we're looking to our elected officials to do the same.”
In September, the Roberts family urged Congressman Jeff Crank to sign onto the petition to force a vote on this bill.
Crank did not sign on to that petition but previously told News5 he supports the release of the Epstein files. When I last spoke with the Roberts, they were urging Crank to vote to release the Epstein files. They say they still have not heard back from him.
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