The Senate on Tuesday quickly approved to a measure that will require the publication of case documents concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a reversal by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The White House changed course after months of trying to delay the bipartisan effort involving a case that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by consensus, 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 427-1 tally.
Citizens have endured sufficient delay. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader declared in a floor speech on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The measure next goes to the president for his endorsement. Trump signaled on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Although Trump has for an extended period dismissed the controversy over the government’s handling of the investigation as a “false narrative”, he expressed his backing for the House bill over the weekend, and stated he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Support and Opposition
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were present in a House gallery, broke into applause after the bill was enacted. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he worried the measure would reveal specific data of witnesses, potential suspects and others implicated in the investigation.
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