The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday gave swift approval to a measure that will force the release of investigative files concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a change of position by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House relented after an extended period of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a controversy that has plagued the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a massive majority.
Citizens have been patient long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader stated in a floor speech on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Let the truth come out. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
The measure next heads to Donald Trump for his approval. He signaled on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Although the president has for an extended period rejected the controversy over the authorities' approach of the investigation as a “false narrative”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the weekend, and said he would give his assent if it reaches his desk.
Response
The Democratic party, along with victims and their advocates who were present in a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from a GOP representative, who said he worried the measure would make public specific data of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others involved in the investigation.
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