The Senate on this Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will force the release of case documents associated with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by the president and his GOP allies. The White House gave in after months of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a controversy that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Congress
Senators proceeded by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
The public have endured sufficient delay. The survivors have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
The measure next heads to Donald Trump for his approval. The president stated on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Although Trump has for an extended period rejected the uproar over the official management of the Epstein case as a “false narrative”, he voiced approval for the measure over the past few days, and said he would give his assent if it is presented to him.
Reaction
Opposition lawmakers, along with victims and their advocates who were watching from a House gallery, cheered after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who said he worried the measure would disclose personal information of individuals involved, potential suspects and others caught up in the investigation.
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