The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will mandate the disclosure of case documents related to the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. Trump's team gave in after an extended period of trying to forestall the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Approval in Congress
Senators proceeded by general agreement, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a formal roll call vote, accelerating the process. Just before, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a massive majority.
The public have been patient long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Allow openness to prevail.”
Next Steps
This legislation next will be sent to the president for his signature. Trump signaled on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Even though the president has for months dismissed the controversy over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “false narrative”, he voiced approval for the House bill over the weekend, and stated he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Support and Opposition
Opposition lawmakers, along with those affected and their advocates who were watching from a House gallery, applauded after the bill was approved. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he worried the measure would disclose personal information of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others caught up in the investigation.
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