The Senate on Tuesday quickly approved to a measure that will force the release of case documents associated with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by the president and his GOP allies. The White House gave in after months of trying to block the cross-party initiative involving a controversy that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by general agreement, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Just before, the House voted decisively for the bill on a 427-1 tally.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have suffered long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Reveal the truth. Let transparency reign.”
Next Steps
This legislation next heads to Trump for his signature. He stated on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Even though the president has for an extended period downplayed the outcry over the government’s handling of the scandal as a “Democrat hoax”, he expressed his backing for the House bill over the weekend, and stated he would give his assent if it is presented to him.
Response
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were watching from a House gallery, broke into applause after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who said he was concerned the measure would make public personal information of people, those under scrutiny and others caught up in the investigation.
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