The Senate on Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will require the publication of investigative files concerning the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The administration gave in after an extended period of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a controversy that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Passage in Congress
The Senate acted by general agreement, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. The survivors have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer stated in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Uncover the facts. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
This legislation next heads to the president for his signature. He indicated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Though Trump has for months rejected the controversy over the official management of the scandal as a “Democrat hoax”, he voiced approval for the House bill over the weekend, and stated he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Response
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were watching from a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he feared the measure would reveal personal information of individuals involved, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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