The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday quickly approved to a measure that will require the publication of case documents related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a overwhelming vote in the lower house and a shift by the president and his Republican allies. Trump's team gave in after an extended period of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a scandal that has plagued the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Congress
Senators proceeded 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 overwhelmingly approved the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have waited long enough. The survivors have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer declared in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Allow openness to prevail.”
Future Action
The bill next will be sent to the president for his endorsement. Trump stated on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Although Trump has for months dismissed the uproar over the official management of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the weekend, and said he would give his assent if it comes to him.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with those affected and their advocates who were present in a House gallery, cheered after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he feared the measure would disclose specific data of witnesses, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
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