The Senate on Tuesday passed without delay to legislation that will force the release of official records concerning the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by the president and his Republican allies. The White House relented after an extended period of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, expediting the process. Just before, the House voted decisively for the bill on a massive majority.
Citizens have waited long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The measure next goes to Trump for his endorsement. Trump indicated on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Although Trump has for an extended period dismissed the outcry over the authorities' approach of the Epstein case as a “false narrative”, he voiced approval for the House bill over the past few days, and said he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were present in a House gallery, applauded after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he was concerned the measure would make public personal information of people, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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