Larson Welcomes Representative Adelita Grijalva to Congress, Reiterates Call for Swift Vote on Epstein Files

Washington, D.C. - Today, after House Republicans returned from their eight-week shutdown vacation, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) welcomed his newly sworn in colleague, Rep. Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), and reiterated his call for swift actionto release the Epstein Files, asking the Trump White House, "What are they hiding and who are they covering for?"

"50 days since Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva was duly elected by her constituents, I am honored to welcome her to the Capitol for her swearing in," said Larson. "Her late father, and my dear friend, Rep. Raúl Grijalva, was deeply committed to serving the people of Arizona's Seventh District. I look forward to working with Adelita, who I know will follow in his footsteps as a fierce advocate for the people she is sworn to serve, and for the needs of all Americans. Speaker Johnson's 50-day obstruction campaign to prevent her swearing in marked a new low for the United States Congress. The People's House is supposed to be governed of, by, and for the people, not one man. That is why I am moving to change House rules so no Speaker can again hold up the people's business against the will of the majority."

Rep. Larson's Opening the People's House Resolutionwould change House rules so no Speaker can again exercise unilateral authority to keep the House in recess against the will of the majority.

Following her swearing in, Rep. Grijalva became the 218^th and final signature needed to advance a discharge petition forcing a vote on the release of files related to federal investigations into Jeffrey Epstein. As new emails come outlinking President Donald Trump to child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the White House has launched an all-out pressure campaignto convince Members of Congress to withdraw their names from the discharge petition.

"It is beyond alarming to watch Speaker Johnson and President Trump pull out all the stops to block the release of the Epstein Files - even delaying the swearing in of a duly elected member for months to avoid a vote," Larson continued. "The brave survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse network deserve to see their perpetrators brought to justice. What exactly is the White House hiding and who are they covering for? As Robert Graves wrote in I, Claudius, 'Let all the poison that lurks in the mud, hatch out.' No more gamesmanship and secrecy. It's time to let the truth hatch out."