Reso. No. _____
RESOLUTION NO. ______
RESOLUTION URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO PASS H.R. 9694,
THE EPSTEIN FILES TRANSPARENCY ACT II- TO ENFORCE
GOVERNEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY, PROVIDE JUSTICE FOR SURVIVORS,
AND GUARANTEE FULL PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF UNCLASSIFIED RECORDS WHEREAS, government transparency and accountability are fundamental building blocks of a democratic society, ensuring that institutions remain answerable to the people they serve; and WHEREAS, following widespread bipartisan demand, the original Epstein Files Transparency Act (Public Law 119-38) was enacted in November 2025 to require the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release unclassified federal records related to the criminal network of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell; and
WHEREAS, despite the legal mandate of Public Law 119-38, the bill's authors have stated that millions of pages of records remain withheld, heavily redacted, or delayed, creating obstacles to necessary oversight and ongoing investigations; and
WHEREAS, on July 15, 2026, a bipartisan group led by Representatives Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna introduced H.R. 9694, the Epstein Files Transparency Act II, to strengthen enforcement of the original transparency mandate; and
WHEREAS, H.R. 9694 addresses these transparency concerns by granting standing to State Attorneys General, victims, and members of Congress to challenge the DOJ in federal court where materials are alleged to be unlawfully withheld; and WHEREAS, this legislation would grant survivors direct access to unredacted files regarding the harm they suffered, limit certain legal privileges used to withhold records from public disclosure, and establish penalties for officials who intentionally conceal or destroy responsive records; and
WHEREAS, local communities across the United States are better served by full access to unredacted documentation supporting the identification and dismantling of human trafficking networks.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of The City of Richmond, California, as follows:
SECTION 1. The City Council hereby declares its support for H.R. 9694, the Epstein Files Transparency Act II, and urges the United States Congress to vote in favor of and pass this legislation.
SECTION 2. The City Council further requests that Richmond's federal legislative delegation, including United States Representative John Garamendi and United States Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, consider co-sponsoring and advancing H.R. 9694 and its companion Senate legislation.
SECTION 3. The City Clerk is hereby directed to forward certified copies of this Resolution to Congressman John Garamendi and Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla.
SECTION 4. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption. ******************
***THE CLERK’S OFFICE WILL COMPLETE THE INFORMATION BELOW**** I certify that the foregoing resolution was passed and adopted by the City Council of the Reso. No. _____
City of Richmond at a regular meeting thereof held on Mmmm dd, yyyy, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTENTIONS:
ABSENT:
CLERK OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND
(SEAL)
Approved:
Mayor
Approved as to form:
City Attorney
State of California }
County of Contra Costa : ss.
City of Richmond }
I certify that the foregoing is a true copy of Resolution No. _____, finally passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Richmond at a regular meeting held on Mmmm dd, yyyy.
_______________________________________
Pamela Christian, Clerk of the City of Richmond