The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will require the publication of official records related to the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a shift by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The administration gave in after an extended period of trying to delay the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by general agreement, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Earlier that day, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have waited long enough. The survivors have waited patiently,” the top Senate Democrat declared in a floor speech on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Uncover the facts. Let transparency reign.”
Next Steps
The bill next goes to Trump for his signature. The president signaled on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Although the president has for an extended period downplayed the controversy over the government’s handling of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he expressed his backing for the legislation over the past few days, and stated he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Response
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were present in a public section, applauded after the bill was approved. Lone dissent came from Clay Higgins, who said he was concerned the measure would reveal personal information of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others caught up in the investigation.
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