The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will force the release of case documents concerning the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House gave in after months of trying to forestall the joint action involving a scandal that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Congress
Senators proceeded by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a formal roll call vote, accelerating the process. Just before, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a massive majority.
Citizens have waited long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader said in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Allow openness to prevail.”
Presidential Signature
The bill next will be sent to Trump for his endorsement. Trump stated on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Though the president has for an extended period dismissed the uproar over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “false narrative”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the weekend, and stated he would approve it if it comes to him.
Reaction
Opposition lawmakers, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were seated in a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who stated he worried the measure would reveal specific data of witnesses, potential suspects and others implicated in the investigation.
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