The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will mandate the disclosure of official records concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The administration relented after months of trying to forestall the cross-party initiative involving a controversy that has plagued the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by consensus, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have been patient long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited long enough,” the top Senate Democrat stated in a floor speech on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Uncover the facts. Ensure full disclosure.”
Next Steps
This legislation next will be sent to Donald Trump for his signature. Trump indicated on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Even though the president has for an extended period rejected the outcry over the official management of the investigation as a “false narrative”, he voiced approval for the House bill over the past few days, and stated he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Reaction
Opposition lawmakers, along with those affected and their supporters who were watching from a public section, broke into applause after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he was concerned the measure would make public personal information of people, those under scrutiny and others involved in the investigation.
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