The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will require the publication of case documents associated with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The administration changed course after months of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a scandal that has plagued the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Passage in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by general agreement, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Earlier that day, the House voted decisively for the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
The public have endured sufficient delay. Those affected have waited patiently,” Chuck Schumer stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Reveal the truth. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
The measure next heads to Donald Trump for his approval. He indicated on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Even though the president has for an extended period downplayed the outcry over the official management of the investigation as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the weekend, and announced he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Response
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were watching from a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who said he feared the measure would reveal specific data of witnesses, potential suspects and others involved in the investigation.
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