The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will require the publication of investigative files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a reversal by the president and his Republican allies. Trump's team gave in after an extended period of trying to forestall the cross-party initiative involving a scandal that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have waited long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have suffered long enough,” Chuck Schumer declared in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Uncover the facts. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
The bill next will be sent to Donald Trump for his endorsement. The president stated on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Even though the president has for months downplayed the uproar over the official management of the scandal as a “Democrat hoax”, he voiced approval for the legislation over the past few days, and said he would approve it if it comes to him.
Reaction
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were watching from a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was passed. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he worried the measure would make public specific data of people, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
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