The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will force the release of official records related to the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a reversal by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The White House gave in after an extended period of trying to block the joint action involving a case that has plagued the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, accelerating the process. Just before, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a massive majority.
“The American people have been patient long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Uncover the facts. Allow openness to prevail.”
Next Steps
The bill next will be sent to Trump for his approval. He stated on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Even though the president has for months rejected the controversy over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the weekend, and said he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Response
Opposition lawmakers, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were watching from a public section, cheered after the bill was enacted. The sole “no” vote came from Clay Higgins, who stated he worried the measure would disclose identifying details of people, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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