Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) announced on Feb. 10 legislation that would eliminate statute-of-limitations barriers for certain federal civil claims tied to sex trafficking and sexual exploitation, arguing that survivors often need years before they are ready to pursue a case.
At a U.S. Capitol news conference, the lawmakers were joined by survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, advocates, and relatives of Virginia Roberts Giuffre. They said the bill, named “Virginia’s Law” after Giuffre, is meant to prevent abusers and those who enabled them from avoiding accountability because time runs out under current laws.
Giuffre alleged she was trafficked by the late convicted sex offender and financier Epstein and was sexually abused by the U.K.’s then-Prince Andrew when she was 17. She died last April at the age of 41, with her family saying it was suicide.
The bill’s full scope was not immediately clear because the text was not publicly available, and speakers did not cite the specific statutes the measure would amend.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation noted last year that statutes of limitation in sexual-assault cases vary widely by jurisdiction and by whether a case is civil or criminal, and that the same conduct can trigger more than one legal forum. In some situations, the FBI bulletin said, a state case may be time-barred while a federal case could still be viable, underscoring how outcomes can depend on which laws apply.
Schumer opened by acknowledging the survivors in the room and Giuffre’s family members, who had traveled to Washington.
“Today we’re here to do something simple and long overdue,” he said. “Today I’m introducing Virginia’s law, legislation to end statute of limitation barriers that have kept survivors of sexual violence from justice far too long.” He repeated a central message several times, that “Justice should not expire.”
Schumer said that recovery for survivors does not follow a set timetable, and he criticized what he described as a legal system that can “protect abusers by waiting survivors out.”
“Time does not erase harm,” he said.
Leger Fernández, chair of the House Democratic Women’s Caucus, said the bill is broader than the Epstein case and is aimed at changing how the legal system treats survivors who come forward years after abuse.
She said the legislation would eliminate the statute of limitations “for key federal civil claims” brought by survivors of trafficking and sexual exploitation. She said it would also include a “look back window” for people who were previously barred from bringing claims, and she said it would clarify that traffickers cannot avoid accountability by moving abuse across jurisdictions.
“You don’t get to escape prosecution by simply putting predators and victims on a plane to a private island or a mansion in Florida or a ranch in New Mexico,” she said.
Sky Roberts, Giuffre’s brother, said the bill reflects what his sister wanted to change.
“We are introducing Virginia’s law because survivors deserve justice, not expiration dates,” he said.
Calling it “more than legislation,” Roberts said his sister’s goal was to inspire survivors to come forward and to eliminate time limits on adult trafficking claims.
Amanda Roberts, Giuffre’s sister-in-law, said cultural shifts are not enough without legal changes. She said trauma can delay disclosure for years, and told lawmakers: “Pass Virginia’s law. Let this be the moment this country chooses accountability over denial, courage over comfort, and justice over obstacles.”
Sigrid McCawley, a lawyer for many Epstein survivors, said the bill would prevent abusers from “weaponiz[ing] the clock” and allow survivors to act when they are ready.
During questions, a U.K. reporter asked Sky Roberts about Andrew, whose royal titles were stripped by King Charles in October, referring to the former royal’s past connection to the Epstein scandal and his sister. Roberts replied that Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, should appear before the U.S. Congress and answer questions, saying he “needs to show up.”
Schumer said he agreed. He also urged the Justice Department to release more information tied to the Epstein investigation.
“The whole file should be released completely,” Schumer said, adding that he and some colleagues were going to review material in person soon, but that doing so would require an appointment.
Some lawmakers who went to a Justice Department reading room to review unredacted Jeffrey Epstein files on four computers on Monday said members were limited to handwritten notes and that their staff was barred from entering.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said it would take months to go through the documents even if House members “spent every waking hour” reviewing them. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.)—the cosponsors of the Epstein Transparency Act passed last fall—said they came across many files that still had redactions.
Massie additionally said he had found the names of six men “that are likely incriminated by their inclusion,” urged the Justice Department to pursue accountability, and suggested he could disclose the names in a House floor speech, where he said his remarks would be constitutionally protected from lawsuits.
The bill’s supporters framed the measure as a response to the time it can take for survivors to report abuse and to pursue litigation.
“No survivor should ever be told again that the law failed them, and that time mattered more than truth,” Schumer said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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