The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday passed without delay to a measure that will mandate the disclosure of case documents associated with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House gave in after an extended period of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a case that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, accelerating the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a 427-1 tally.
The public have endured sufficient delay. The survivors have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Reveal the truth. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
The measure next heads to Trump for his signature. The president indicated on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Although the president has for an extended period downplayed the controversy over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “political stunt”, he voiced approval for the legislation over the past few days, and stated he would give his assent if it comes to him.
Response
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were watching from a House gallery, cheered after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he worried the measure would disclose specific data of people, potential suspects and others caught up in the investigation.
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