Floor SpeechNeutral2026-05-26

TESTIMONY OF MS. LAUREN HERSH, "SURVIVORS FIGHT FOR JUSTICE: EXPOSING EPSTEIN'S CRIMES IN PALM BEACH AND ACROSS THE WORLD"

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On 2026-05-26, Representative Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10) delivered a floor speech titled "TESTIMONY OF MS. LAUREN HERSH, "SURVIVORS FIGHT FOR JUSTICE: EXPOSING EPSTEIN'S CRIMES IN PALM BEACH AND ACROSS THE WORL" in the House.

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TESTIMONY OF MS. LAUREN HERSH, "SURVIVORS FIGHT FOR JUSTICE: EXPOSING EPSTEIN'S CRIMES IN PALM BEACH AND ACROSS THE WORLD"

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 89 (Tuesday, May 26, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 26, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E491-E492] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TESTIMONY OF MS. LAUREN HERSH, ``SURVIVORS FIGHT FOR JUSTICE: EXPOSING EPSTEIN'S CRIMES IN PALM BEACH AND ACROSS THE WORLD'' ______ HON. MAXWELL FROST of florida in the house of representatives Tuesday, May 26, 2026 Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, on May 12, 2026, Oversight Committee Democrats convened the first-ever hearing to solicit testimony from survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's crimes. The hearing, ``Survivors Fight for Justice: Exposing Epstein's Crimes in Palm Beach and Across the World,'' marked a critical step forward in the fight for justice and accountability. On behalf of all the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's crimes, I rise to include in the Record the testimony offered by Ms. Lauren Hersh: Hello, I am Lauren Hersh, CEO of World Without Exploitation (WorldWE), the largest national coalition in the United States dedicated to ending human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. Our coalition represents nearly 200 organizations across the country, and our work is grounded in close partnership with survivors to advance survivor-centered policy, education, and advocacy. I want to begin where this conversation must begin: with survivors. What we have witnessed in the handling of the Epstein files is not simply a bureaucratic misstep--it is a profound and deeply troubling failure to protect the very people the system is meant to serve. Survivors were promised dignity, confidentiality, and care. Instead, we have seen a breakdown in the protection of their identities and personal information. That failure is unacceptable. The Department of Justice did not comply with the requirements of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. This raises urgent and fundamental questions: Why did this happen? Where, procedurally, did the system fail? Who made the decisions that led to this outcome? And what safequards were either ignored or insufficient? These are not abstract questions. They demand clear, transparent answers. Survivors--and the public--deserve a full accounting of what went wrong inside the Department of Justice. But accountability cannot stop at process. It must extend to outcomes. We must now turn to the question of accountability moving forward--both criminal and civil. Recent assertions by Kash Patel that there are no credible investigative leads, echoed by Todd Blanche, are deeply concerning. From my perspective as both the CEO of WorldWE and a former prosecutor, that conclusion is not only premature--it is inconsistent with the available record. There is an abundance of potential investigative leads that warrant serious, independent review, The notion that no viable paths forward exist undermines public trust and risks foreclosing justice before it has even been pursued. We are looking at a pattern of systemic failure: A failure to protect survivors as promised A failure to ensure transparency and proper process And increasingly, a failure to pursue meaningful accountability This cannot stand. There are known areas that demand further investigation. These include individuals whose names have surfaced [[Page E492]] repeatedly, as well as institutions that may have had knowledge of or facilitated abuse. This includes major systems such as Mount Sinai Health System and New York- Presbyterian Hospital, as well as academic and other institutional actors. Each of these potential leads deserves careful, independent examination through appropriate legal channels. Every credible lead should be assessed through a structured, impartial process--whether through independent hearings, investigatory bodies, or prosecutorial review. Dismissing them outright is not due diligence; it is abdication. And let me be clear: the burden should not fall on survivors to prove their worthiness for justice. The onus is on investigative bodies--on prosecutors, on the Department of Justice, on all relevant authorities--to do their jobs thoroughly, transparently, and with integrity. Survivors have already carried far too much. They should not have to carry the failures of our institutions as well. What is needed now is not defensiveness, but accountability. Not closure, but investigation. Not dismissal, but action. Thank you. ____________________

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TESTIMONY OF MS. LAUREN HERSH, "SURVIVORS FIGHT FOR JUSTICE: EXPOSING EPSTEIN'S CRIMES IN PALM BEACH AND ACROSS THE WORLD" Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 89 (Tuesday, May 26, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 26, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E491-E492] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TESTIMONY OF MS. LAUREN HERSH, ``SURVIVORS FIGHT FOR JUSTICE: EXPOSING EPSTEIN'S CRIMES IN PALM BEACH AND ACROSS THE WORLD'' ______ HON. MAXWELL FROST of florida in the house of representatives Tuesday, May 26, 2026 Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, on May 12, 2026, Oversight Committee Democrats convened the first-ever hearing to solicit testimony from survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's crimes. The hearing, ``Survivors Fight for Justice: Exposing Epstein's Crimes in Palm Beach and Across the World,'' marked a critical step forward in the fight for justice and accountability. On behalf of all the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's crimes, I rise to include in the Record the testimony offered by Ms. Lauren Hersh: Hello, I am Lauren Hersh, CEO of World Without Exploitation (WorldWE), the largest national coalition in the United States dedicated to ending human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. Our coalition represents nearly 200 organizations across the country, and our work is grounded in close partnership with survivors to advance survivor-centered policy, education, and advocacy. I want to begin where this conversation must begin: with survivors. What we have witnessed in the handling of the Epstein files is not simply a bureaucratic misstep--it is a profound and deeply troubling failure to protect the very people the system is meant to serve. Survivors were promised dignity, confidentiality, and care. Instead, we have seen a breakdown in the protection of their identities and personal information. That failure is unacceptable. The Department of Justice did not comply with the requirements of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. This raises urgent and fundamental questions: Why did this happen? Where, procedurally, did the system fail? Who made the decisions that led to this outcome? And what safequards were either ignored or insufficient? These are not abstract questions. They demand clear, transparent answers. Survivors--and the public--deserve a full accounting of what went wrong inside the Department of Justice. But accountability cannot stop at process. It must extend to outcomes. We must now turn to the question of accountability moving forward--both criminal and civil. Recent assertions by Kash Patel that there are no credible investigative leads, echoed by Todd Blanche, are deeply concerning. From my perspective as both the CEO of WorldWE and a former prosecutor, that conclusion is not only premature--it is inconsistent with the available record. There is an abundance of potential investigative leads that warrant serious, independent review, The notion that no viable paths forward exist undermines public trust and risks foreclosing justice before it has even been pursued. We are looking at a pattern of systemic failure: A failure to protect survivors as promised A failure to ensure transparency and proper process And increasingly, a failure to pursue meaningful accountability This cannot stand. There are known areas that demand further investigation. These include individuals whose names have surfaced [[Page E492]] repeatedly, as well as institutions that may have had knowledge of or facilitated abuse. This includes major systems such as Mount Sinai Health System and New York- Presbyterian Hospital, as well as academic and other institutional actors. Each of these potential leads deserves careful, independent examination through appropriate legal channels. Every credible lead should be assessed through a structured, impartial process--whether through independent hearings, investigatory bodies, or prosecutorial review. Dismissing them outright is not due diligence; it is abdication. And let me be clear: the burden should not fall on survivors to prove their worthiness for justice. The onus is on investigative bodies--on prosecutors, on the Department of Justice, on all relevant authorities--to do their jobs thoroughly, transparently, and with integrity. Survivors have already carried far too much. They should not have to carry the failures of our institutions as well. What is needed now is not defensiveness, but accountability. Not closure, but investigation. Not dismissal, but action. Thank you. ____________________