The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to a measure that will mandate the disclosure of investigative files related to the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by the president and his Republican allies. The administration gave in after months of trying to delay the joint action involving a case that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Just before, the House voted decisively for the bill on a 427-1 tally.
“The American people have waited long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited patiently,” Chuck Schumer stated in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Allow openness to prevail.”
Next Steps
The measure next goes to Donald Trump for his endorsement. The president stated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Although the president has for an extended period rejected the controversy over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he voiced approval for the legislation over the weekend, and said he would give his assent if it reaches his desk.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with those affected and their advocates who were present in a House gallery, broke into applause after the bill was approved. The sole “no” vote came from a GOP representative, who stated he worried the measure would make public specific data of people, potential suspects and others involved in the investigation.
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