The Senate on Tuesday passed without delay to legislation that will force the release of case documents concerning the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The administration gave in after months of trying to delay the joint action involving a controversy that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Congress
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 overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
The public have waited long enough. The survivors have waited long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before asking the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Allow openness to prevail.”
Next Steps
This legislation next will be sent to Donald Trump for his approval. Trump signaled on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Though Trump has for an extended period dismissed the controversy over the official management of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he expressed his backing for the House bill over the weekend, and said he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Response
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were watching from a public section, cheered after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who expressed concern he was concerned the measure would reveal identifying details of witnesses, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
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