The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of official records associated with the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by the president and his Republican allies. Trump's team relented after months of trying to forestall the cross-party initiative involving a scandal that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, expediting the process. Earlier that day, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a massive majority.
Citizens have endured sufficient delay. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer stated in a floor speech on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Reveal the truth. Allow openness to prevail.”
Next Steps
The measure next will be sent to the president for his endorsement. He signaled on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Even though Trump has for months rejected the controversy over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he expressed his backing for the measure over the weekend, and stated he would approve it if it comes to him.
Support and Opposition
Opposition lawmakers, along with those affected and their representatives who were present in a public section, cheered after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from a GOP representative, who stated he was concerned the measure would disclose personal information of individuals involved, potential suspects and others involved in the investigation.
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