The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday passed without delay to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of case documents associated with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a reversal by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House changed course after an extended period of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a case that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Passage 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. Earlier that day, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a 427-1 tally.
The public have been patient long enough. Those affected have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer declared in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Reveal the truth. Ensure full disclosure.”
Next Steps
This legislation next heads to Donald Trump for his approval. The president indicated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Though the president has for months rejected the uproar over the government’s handling of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the past few days, and said he would give his assent if it comes to him.
Support and Opposition
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were present in a House gallery, cheered after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who expressed concern he was concerned the measure would reveal specific data of individuals involved, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
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