U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, who represents Lehigh and Northampton counties, hosted his second telephone town hall Wednesday, fielding questions from constituents on a range of local and national issues. Around 7,000 people attended.
The event came days after Mackenzie voted with House Republicans to block the release of federal records related to Jeffrey Epstein, drawing criticism from some voters.
Constituents question Epstein vote
On July 15, the U.S. House narrowly rejected a Democratic-led amendment that would have directed the Department of Justice to release non-classified records — including grand jury testimony and surveillance footage — connected to Epstein. The motion failed by one vote, 211–210.
Mackenzie voted against the measure, aligning with the Republican majority. Only one Republican lawmaker — Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina — supported the amendment.
House Speaker Mike Johnson later expressed support for increased disclosure. Attorney General Pam Bondi defended the DOJ’s position, stating that some materials, including evidence of child abuse, were appropriately withheld.
During Wednesday’s call, Mackenzie voiced support for publicly releasing the findings of the Epstein investigation and said Congress may need to intervene if the Trump administration does not disclose the information. He did not address why he recently voted against the release.
“The American people deserve to have full transparency and information about what is in those files. Ultimately, we’re going to get there,” Mackenzie said.
Town hall focuses on budget, local concerns
Mackenzie primarily discussed President Donald Trump’s newly signed “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which he described as a comprehensive budget and policy package.
The law includes tax cuts, $350 million in funding for border security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and provisions that would remove an estimated 11.4 million people from Medicaid and 3 million from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Analysts estimate it could add $3.3 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade.
Mackenzie cast a key vote in support of the bill.
“Now that the House has passed a commonsense budget focused on delivering tax relief, protecting our communities, reforming government and investing in our future, I want to make sure residents across the Greater Lehigh Valley have the opportunity to ask questions, share feedback and hear what this means for their families,” Mackenzie said in a news release.
