The Senate on this Tuesday passed without delay to a measure that will mandate the disclosure of investigative files associated with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The White House changed course after an extended period of trying to forestall the bipartisan effort involving a case that has plagued the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Passage in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, expediting the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
The public have been patient long enough. Those affected have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat declared in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Reveal the truth. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The bill next will be sent to Trump for his signature. He indicated on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Though the president has for months downplayed the controversy over the official management of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the measure over the past few days, and said he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Support and Opposition
The Democratic party, along with those affected and their supporters who were present in a House gallery, broke into applause after the bill was enacted. The sole “no” vote came from a GOP representative, who stated he was concerned the measure would make public specific data of people, potential suspects and others implicated in the investigation.
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