The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will require the publication of investigative files associated with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The administration gave in after months of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a scandal that has plagued the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
Citizens have waited long enough. The survivors have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader declared in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The measure next will be sent to the president for his endorsement. He signaled on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Though the president has for months dismissed the outcry over the official management of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the measure over the weekend, and said he would give his assent if it comes to him.
Reaction
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were present in a public section, applauded after the bill was enacted. The sole “no” vote came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he was concerned the measure would reveal identifying details of people, those under scrutiny and others implicated in the investigation.
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