The Senate on this Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will force the release of investigative files related to the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a change of position by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House relented after months of trying to block the cross-party initiative involving a case that has plagued the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Congress
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Earlier that day, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
The public have waited long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader said in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The bill next heads to the president for his endorsement. Trump signaled on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Even though Trump has for months rejected the uproar over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “political stunt”, he expressed his backing for the measure over the past few days, and said he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Response
Opposition lawmakers, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were seated in a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was passed. Lone dissent came from a GOP representative, who said he worried the measure would disclose specific data of people, potential suspects and others caught up in the investigation.
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