The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to legislation that will require the publication of investigative files concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a change of position by the president and his GOP allies. The White House gave in after months of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a case that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Congress
The Senate acted by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, expediting the process. Hours earlier, the House voted decisively for the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have waited long enough. Those affected have waited patiently,” Chuck Schumer stated in a floor speech on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Let the truth come out. Allow openness to prevail.”
Next Steps
This legislation next will be sent to Trump for his signature. He signaled on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Although Trump has for an extended period downplayed the uproar over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “Democrat hoax”, he expressed his backing for the House bill over the past few days, and said he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Response
Opposition lawmakers, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were present in a House gallery, cheered after the bill was passed. Lone dissent came from a GOP representative, who expressed concern he feared the measure would reveal identifying details of individuals involved, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
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