The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will require the publication of case documents associated with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a reversal by the president and his Republican allies. Trump's team gave in after months of trying to block the cross-party initiative involving a scandal that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Approval in Congress
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, expediting the process. Just before, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
The public have been patient long enough. Those affected have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Reveal the truth. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The bill next goes to Donald Trump for his approval. The president indicated on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Although the president has for an extended period dismissed the outcry over the government’s handling of the Epstein case 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.
Reaction
Democrats, along with those affected and their advocates who were present in a public section, applauded after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he was concerned the measure would reveal identifying details of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others involved in the investigation.
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