The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will mandate the disclosure of case documents related to the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a change of position by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House gave in after an extended period of trying to forestall the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has plagued the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, accelerating the process. Earlier that day, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a massive majority.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. Those affected have waited patiently,” Chuck Schumer stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Reveal the truth. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
This legislation next heads to the president for his approval. Trump signaled on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Although the president has for an extended period dismissed the uproar over the official management of the Epstein case as a “political stunt”, he signalled his support for the measure over the weekend, and said he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Reaction
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were present in a viewing area, applauded after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from a GOP representative, who expressed concern he feared the measure would make public personal information of witnesses, potential suspects and others involved in the investigation.
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