The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will force the release of case documents related to the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a reversal by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. Trump's team relented after an extended period of trying to forestall the cross-party initiative involving a scandal that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, expediting the process. Earlier that day, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a 427-1 tally.
The public have been patient long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Reveal the truth. Ensure full disclosure.”
Next Steps
The bill next heads to the president for his endorsement. The president indicated on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Even though Trump has for months downplayed the outcry over the official management of the Epstein case as a “political stunt”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the weekend, and announced he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Response
Democrats, along with those affected and their supporters who were seated in a public section, cheered after the bill was passed. The sole “no” vote came from a GOP representative, who said he was concerned the measure would reveal identifying details of people, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
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