The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to a measure that will require the publication of official records associated with the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a overwhelming vote in the House of Representatives and a shift by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The White House changed course after months of trying to block the joint action involving a scandal that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by general agreement, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, expediting the process. Just before, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have waited long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat declared in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Reveal the truth. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
The measure next goes to Trump for his approval. Trump stated on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Although the president has for an extended period dismissed the uproar over the official management of the investigation as a “false narrative”, he voiced approval for the House bill over the weekend, and said he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Support and Opposition
The Democratic party, along with victims and their representatives who were present in a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was enacted. The sole “no” vote came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he feared the measure would disclose personal information of witnesses, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
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