Leger Fernández Introduces First-Of-Its-Kind Bill to Establish Financial Relief for Epstein Survivors & Survivors of Sexual Violence

This press release from Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM) was published on 2026-09-15 and titled "Leger Fernández Introduces First-Of-Its-Kind Bill to Establish Financial Relief for Epstein Survivors & Survivors of".

Leger Fernández Introduces First-Of-Its-Kind Bill to Establish Financial Relief for Epstein Survivors & Survivors of Sexual Violence

Bill Text | Bill Summary | Press Conference | Photos WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswomen Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM), alongside Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), and Deborah Ross (D-NC) introduced the Survivors’ Rights Restitution Act , first-of-its-kind legislation that would create a restitution fund in the judicial branch for survivors of sexual violence whose rights were violated by the federal government, including all survivors of abuse by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Congresswoman Leger Fernández announced this historic proposal alongside survivors and survivors’ rights advocates at a press conference on Capitol Hill. The Survivors’ Rights Restitution Act would create a historic investment to support survivors of sexual violence and hold the federal government accountable when it fails to protect survivors’ rights under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act. The estimated lifetime cost of rape is $122,461 per victim . This legislation would address the burden survivors carry, including significant long-term economic and non-economic impacts of sexual violence, from lost income and medical costs to housing instability and enduring trauma. “Survivors should never have to pay the price when our government fails to protect them,” said Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández . “For too long, survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s horrific abuse were denied justice while powerful people were protected. That failure has real costs: lost wages, medical bills, housing instability, and trauma that can last a lifetime. We cannot undo the harm, but we can make sure survivors are not left to carry the burden alone. The Survivors’ Rights Restitution Act gives survivors that path to restitution.” “The financial, physical, and emotional trauma that survivors of sexual violence carry is a lifetime sentence,” said Congresswoman Pressley . “By no choice of their own, survivors can incur debilitating costs due to medical needs, lost income, housing instability, and mental health support. Far too often, the federal government has been complicit and failed to meet its moral and legal obligation to fight for accountability and relieve this economic burden—our bill would change that by holding our government, abusers, and their co-conspirators to account and helping our survivors get on a pathway to healing. The ignored burden that survivors carry is a stain in our legal system and must be addressed immediately.” “Far too often, we have seen our government fail survivors of sexual violence who have risked everything to come forward,” said Congresswoman Deborah Ross . “Trauma is often just one part of the burden survivors carry, and it is often compounded by lost income, housing insecurity, and economic hardship. We have seen this play out in the administration’s treatment of survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s abuse, who have been dismissed and demonized. Now more than ever, we must ensure all survivors receive the justice they deserve. I am proud to introduce this bill to establish a first-of-its-kind economic relief fund for survivors of sexual violence.” According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics , there are tens of thousands of rape and sexual assault victimizations annually, amounting to 23 violent victimizations for every 1,000 people in 2024. Despite its prevalence, approximately two out of three sexual assaults go unreported . When a survivor takes action to report the crime, the Crime Victims’ Rights Act grants them specific protections, including the right to timely and accurate notice of any release of the accused. However, the Jeffrey Epstein sweetheart deal is proof that these rights are not always enforced. Furthermore, there is no relief for survivors when their victims’ rights are violated . To support survivors of sexual violence and empower survivors who choose to come forward, the Survivors’ Rights Restitution Act would: Establish the Survivors’ Rights Restitution Program to provide compensation to eligible victims for harm and losses. Create an independent Office of Special Adjudicators for Survivors Restitution within the U.S. Court of Federal Claims to review petitions and determine awards through a streamlined, non-adversarial, and trauma-informed process. Establish the Survivors Rights Restitution Fund within the Department of the Treasury to finance awards through federal forfeiture proceeds tied to trafficking and sexual exploitation offenses, voluntary contributions, and authorized appropriations. The bill is cosponsored by: Reps. Yassamin Ansari, Becca Balint, Joyce Beatty, Wesley Bell, Brendan Boyle, Salud Carbajal, André Carson, Yvette Clarke, Lou Correa, Jim Costa, Madeleine Dean, Maxine Dexter, Debbie Dingell, Maxwell Frost, Robert Garcia, Jesús “Chuy” Garcia, Sylvia Garcia, Adelita Grijalva, Hank Johnson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Summer Lee, Stephen Lynch, Sarah McBride, Jennifer McClellan, LaMonica McIver, Christian Menefee, Kweisi Mfume, Gwen Moore, Elean