The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to a measure that will force the release of official records concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a change of position by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The administration gave in after months of trying to delay the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, accelerating the process. Just before, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
The public have endured sufficient delay. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited patiently,” Chuck Schumer said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Allow openness to prevail.”
Presidential Signature
The bill next will be sent to the president for his signature. He indicated on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Even though the president has for an extended period dismissed the uproar over the authorities' approach of the investigation as a “false narrative”, he expressed his backing for the legislation over the past few days, and stated he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were present in a viewing area, cheered after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who expressed concern he feared the measure would make public identifying details of people, those under scrutiny and others implicated in the investigation.
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