Democrats are accusing Republicans of an "epic cover-up" as Donald Trump's party effectively closes Congress early to prevent a vote on the Jeffrey Epstein issue.
Members of the US Congress appear set to start their summer holidays a day ahead of schedule, after Republican leaders cancelled legislative business that had been set for Thursday.
It is the latest twist in a political fight that has split Republicans and animated Democrats.
Congressman Thomas Massie is leading the Republican charge, with Democrats' backing, to force a vote on a bill to release files relating to paedophile Epstein's case.
Mr Massie's efforts have enraged Donald Trump and frustrated his party's leaders.
"Some people seem to enjoy trying to inflict political pain on their own teammates," Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said. "I don't understand Thomas Massie's motivation, I really don't."
Many Republicans want to avoid a vote because they are under pressure from Mr Trump to kill what he calls a "hoax" — but also under pressure from constituents to deliver on past promises to release new details about the sex offender's case.
Democrats, who had largely dismissed questions about Epstein's death in the past as conspiracy theories, are now pushing for more transparency.
The House of Representatives' Rules Committee, which controls which bills make it to the floor for a vote, has this week been tied up in argument over the Epstein issue.
That has prevented the House from dealing with other matters. So Republicans used their majority to shut down the committee for the week.
"We all understand that the America First agenda, the American people, are best served by putting an end to the Democrats' sideshows," Mr Johnson said.
"And that's what we're doing by not allowing the Rules Committee to continue with that nonsense this week."
He argued that rushing the release of files could expose victims' private information, and the public should wait for a court process to decide whether to release relevant grand jury transcripts.
"This is a cover-up of epic proportions," California Democrat Ted Lieu said. "You've got the majority party literally having us leave Congress early … because they don't want to deal with releasing the Epstein files.
"We should release the Epstein files. It's what Donald Trump campaigned on."
Justice Department requests interview with Ghislaine Maxwell
The congressional drama comes as the White House says it is trying to set up a meeting with Epstein's jailed co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell.
US Deputy Attorney-General Todd Blanche says the Justice Department intends to meet the disgraced British socialite to ask what she knows about Epstein's alleged trafficking of underage girls.
Mr Trump said he was not aware of the possible meeting, but it "sounds appropriate to do".
A subcommittee of the House Oversight Committee separately voted to subpoena Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Attorney-General Pam Bondi and the president himself have faced mounting pressure from Mr Trump's supporters to release additional materials related to Epstein.
On Tuesday, local time, Mr Blanche said he had contacted Maxwell's legal counsel at the attorney-general's direction.
"For the first time, the Department of Justice is reaching out to Ghislaine Maxwell to ask: what do you know?" he wrote on X.
"I intend to meet with [Maxwell] soon. No one is above the law — and no lead is off-limits."
Maxwell lawyers 'grateful to President Trump'
Parts of Mr Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) coalition have been scathing of the Justice Department's recent decision not to release a so-called "client list" of Epstein's.
An earlier Justice Department memo said it had not uncovered evidence to charge anyone else in connection with Epstein's abuse.
The decision appeared to contradict a comment made by Ms Bondi earlier this year that a "client list" was on her desk waiting to be reviewed.
But Mr Blanche said in his social media post that the Justice Department "does not shy away from uncomfortable truths, nor from the responsibility to pursue justice wherever the facts may lead."
A lawyer for Maxwell, David Oscar Markus, said on Tuesday in a statement: "I can confirm that we are in discussions with the government and that Ghislaine will always testify truthfully."
"We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case."
Pressure on Trump grows
Mr Trump and high-profile members of his administration previously promised to release all documents related to the Epstein case.
But the US president has changed his tune in recent weeks, sharply criticising supporters who continue to call for the release of further files and labelling the saga a "hoax" peddled by Democrats.
He has also launched a $US10 billion ($15 billion) legal suit against Rupert Murdoch after one of the billionaire media mogul's newspapers ran a story alleging Mr Trump had written a birthday note to Epstein.
The Wall Street Journal's article detailed a sexually suggestive letter bearing Mr Trump's name that was included in a 2003 album compiled for Epstein's birthday.
The president has denied having anything to do with it, and on Monday the White House banned a Wall Street Journal reporter from the pool covering the president's upcoming trip to golf courses in Scotland.
