The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will force the release of case documents associated with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by the president and his Republican allies. The administration relented after months of trying to delay the joint action involving a scandal that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, accelerating the process. Just before, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a massive majority.
Citizens have endured sufficient delay. The survivors have waited long enough,” the top Senate Democrat stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Uncover the facts. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The bill next heads to the president for his endorsement. Trump indicated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Though Trump has for months rejected the outcry over the official management of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he voiced approval for the legislation over the past few days, and said he would give his assent if it is presented to him.
Response
Opposition lawmakers, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were watching from a House gallery, cheered after the bill was enacted. Lone dissent came from Clay Higgins, who said he worried the measure would disclose specific data of individuals involved, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
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