The Senate on Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will mandate the disclosure of official records concerning the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a overwhelming vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by the president and his Republican allies. Trump's team relented after months of trying to forestall the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House voted decisively for the bill on a massive majority.
Citizens have been patient long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Reveal the truth. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The measure next goes to Donald Trump for his signature. The president indicated on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Although the president has for months downplayed the uproar over the authorities' approach of the investigation as a “political stunt”, he expressed his backing for the measure over the past few days, and said he would sign the measure if it comes to him.
Reaction
Democrats, along with victims and their representatives who were present in a public section, broke into applause after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he worried the measure would reveal personal information of individuals involved, those under scrutiny and others caught up in the investigation.
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