The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will force the release of official records related to the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a reversal by the president and his GOP allies. The administration relented after months of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, expediting the process. Just before, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have waited long enough. The survivors have waited patiently,” the top Senate Democrat said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Uncover the facts. Ensure full disclosure.”
Next Steps
The bill next will be sent to Trump for his signature. Trump stated on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Though Trump has for months dismissed the uproar over the government’s handling of the investigation as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the weekend, and announced he would give his assent if it reaches his desk.
Support and Opposition
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were watching from a public section, cheered after the bill was approved. The sole “no” vote came from Clay Higgins, who stated he was concerned the measure would make public specific data of witnesses, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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