The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will force the release of case documents associated with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The White House gave in after months of trying to delay the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Earlier that day, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
“The American people have waited long enough. Those affected have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader said in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Uncover the facts. Ensure full disclosure.”
Next Steps
The measure next heads to Donald Trump for his endorsement. Trump signaled on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Even though the president has for an extended period dismissed the controversy over the authorities' approach of the investigation as a “political stunt”, he voiced approval for the House bill over the past few days, and announced he would approve it if it comes to him.
Support and Opposition
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were present in a House gallery, cheered after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from a GOP representative, who said he feared the measure would disclose personal information of people, potential suspects and others implicated in the investigation.
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