The Senate on this Tuesday quickly approved to a bill that will mandate the disclosure of investigative files associated with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The White House gave in after an extended period of trying to forestall the joint action involving a scandal that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House voted decisively for the bill on a 427-1 tally.
“The American people have been patient long enough. The survivors have waited long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader stated in a floor speech on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
The measure next goes to the president for his signature. The president signaled on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Although the president has for an extended period rejected the outcry over the official management of the Epstein case as a “political stunt”, he voiced approval for the measure over the weekend, and said he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Response
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were present in a House gallery, applauded after the bill was enacted. The sole “no” vote came from a GOP representative, who expressed concern he worried the measure would reveal specific data of witnesses, potential suspects and others involved in the investigation.
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