The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will require the publication of case documents related to the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a reversal by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. Trump's team changed course after months of trying to forestall the bipartisan effort involving a controversy that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, expediting the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have waited long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader stated in a floor speech on Tuesday, before asking the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Reveal the truth. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
The measure next goes to the president for his approval. The president stated on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Even though Trump has for an extended period rejected the uproar over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he signalled his support for the measure over the past few days, and said he would sign the measure if it is presented to him.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with those affected and their supporters who were seated in a House gallery, applauded after the bill was enacted. Lone dissent came from Clay Higgins, who stated he feared the measure would make public identifying details of people, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
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