The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will require the publication of investigative files associated with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a change of position by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. Trump's team relented after months of trying to forestall the cross-party initiative involving a case that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Approval in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, expediting the process. Just before, the House voted decisively for the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat declared in a floor speech on Tuesday, before asking the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Next Steps
This legislation next will be sent to the president for his endorsement. Trump signaled on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Although Trump has for an extended period rejected the controversy over the government’s handling of the investigation as a “false narrative”, he expressed his backing for the House bill over the past few days, and stated he would sign the measure if it comes to him.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with those affected and their representatives who were seated in a House gallery, applauded after the bill was enacted. Lone dissent came from a GOP representative, who expressed concern he feared the measure would make public specific data of people, those under scrutiny and others involved in the investigation.
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