On Monday, members of Congress will be able to review unredacted versions of the Jeffrey Epstein files at the Department of Justice after sharp criticism of the department’s handling of the records. Lawmakers will be allowed into a secure DOJ “reading room” to view released and previously unreleased or redacted materials; they will not be able to take original pages away. The files total roughly 3 million pages, and DOJ officials acknowledge that sifting the trove is a massive task — even teams of reviewers can take many weeks to comb through the records.
CBS News justice correspondent Scott MacFarlane said the access is required by law and noted the practical limits: the DOJ has pulled more than 9,500 pages from its public posting because some items were improperly redacted or should have remained redacted. Members entering the reading room will see both the documents already public and the unreleased or redacted records DOJ has kept offline. It remains unclear how much hands‑on support members will receive in searching the collection or whether they may send designated staffers to do the work, though DOJ may offer logistical assistance given the volume of material. The review is expected to continue over weeks and months as officials and lawmakers work through what is now available.