The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of case documents concerning the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a reversal by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The White House gave in after an extended period of trying to block the cross-party initiative involving a scandal that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, accelerating the process. Earlier that day, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a massive majority.
Citizens have been patient long enough. Those affected have waited patiently,” the top Senate Democrat said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Next Steps
This legislation next goes to the president for his endorsement. The president signaled on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Though the president has for months rejected the uproar over the government’s handling of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he signalled his support for the measure over the past few days, and stated he would give his assent if it reaches his desk.
Reaction
Democrats, along with victims and their representatives who were watching from a viewing area, cheered after the bill was passed. Lone dissent came from Clay Higgins, who said he feared the measure would disclose specific data of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others caught up in the investigation.
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