The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday passed without delay to legislation that will force the release of official records associated with the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by the president and his Republican allies. The White House gave in after an extended period of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a case that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, expediting the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Next Steps
The measure next will be sent to the president for his approval. Trump stated on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Though the president has for an extended period dismissed the controversy over the official management of the investigation as a “political stunt”, he expressed his backing for the House bill over the weekend, and announced he would give his assent if it reaches his desk.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with victims and their advocates who were seated in a House gallery, cheered after the bill was enacted. The sole “no” vote came from a GOP representative, who expressed concern he feared the measure would disclose personal information of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others implicated in the investigation.
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