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, following a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. Trump's team relented after months of trying to delay the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by consensus, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, expediting the process. Earlier that day, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a 427-1 tally.
“The American people have been patient long enough. The survivors have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader declared in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Uncover the facts. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
The measure next will be sent to Donald Trump for his signature. He indicated on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Although the president has for months rejected the uproar over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “political stunt”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the past few days, and stated he would approve it if it comes to him.
Response
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were present in a House gallery, applauded after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he was concerned the measure would reveal identifying details of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others implicated in the investigation.
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