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 near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a reversal by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. Trump's team gave in after an extended period of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a case that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
Citizens have endured sufficient delay. The survivors have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Next Steps
This legislation next will be sent to Donald Trump for his approval. He stated on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Although the president has for months downplayed the outcry over the government’s handling of the scandal as a “political stunt”, he voiced approval for the House bill over the weekend, and stated he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with victims and their advocates who were present in a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was enacted. Lone dissent came from Clay Higgins, who expressed concern he worried the measure would disclose identifying details of people, those under scrutiny and others caught up in the investigation.
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