Arizona Senator Mark Kelly urges accountability for victims of Jeffrey Epstein

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Senate agrees to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Bill with no objections. Read more about it HERE.

WASHINGTON (KYMA, NBC) - Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) participated in a press conference on Capitol Hill Tuesday to urge accountability to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein.

"I know it takes a lot of courage for the victims of these crimes to speak out. We're here because of you. Together, we are on the edge of doing something important. From Epstein on down, the people who carried out and aided in these horrific crimes thought their wealth and power, meant that they would never have to answer for them," said Kelly. "They thought the system was rigged for them and not against them, but against their victims. And for a long time, they were right, but we have a chance now to prove them wrong. We have the chance to say that in America, you will be held accountable. It doesn't matter if you're rich, it doesn't matter if you're a Republican or a Democrat. If you hurt people, you will answer for it."

Sen. Kelly was joined by Reps. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) and Kelly Morrison (D-Minn.) during Tuesday's press conference.

In addition, Kelly and his Democratic colleagues, including Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), wrote a letter to Senator Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), calling on him to bring the Epstein Files Transparency Act to the Senate floor and put it to a vote, "without delay or unnecessary distractions."

"Leader Thune needs to do the right thing by the survivors and call for a vote immediately," Kelly said during the press conference.

The House unanimously passed the bill 427-1 and will head to the Senate, where they vote on it this week.