The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will require the publication of case documents associated with the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. Trump's team changed course after months of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a controversy that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, expediting the process. Hours earlier, the House voted decisively for the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have waited long enough. Those affected have waited patiently,” the top Senate Democrat stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Let the truth come out. Ensure full disclosure.”
Next Steps
The bill next will be sent to Donald Trump for his endorsement. He signaled on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Although Trump has for an extended period downplayed the controversy over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the past few days, and said he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Reaction
Democrats, along with those affected and their supporters who were seated in a public section, broke into applause after the bill was passed. The sole “no” vote came from a GOP representative, who expressed concern he was concerned the measure would disclose personal information of individuals involved, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
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