The Senate on this Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will require the publication of case documents related to the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The administration changed course 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.
Swift Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Just before, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
Citizens have endured sufficient delay. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
This legislation next goes to Donald Trump for his signature. The president indicated on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Though the president has for months downplayed the controversy over the government’s handling of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he voiced approval for the measure over the past few days, and said he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Response
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were seated in a public section, applauded after the bill was passed. Lone dissent came from Clay Higgins, who said he feared the measure would make public specific data of individuals involved, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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