The Senate on this Tuesday quickly approved to a measure that will force the release of case documents associated with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by the president and his Republican allies. Trump's team relented after an extended period of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Congress
The Senate acted by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a formal roll call vote, accelerating the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
Citizens have waited long enough. The survivors have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Reveal the truth. Ensure full disclosure.”
Next Steps
The bill next will be sent to Trump for his approval. He indicated on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Though the president has for months rejected the uproar over the authorities' approach of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he expressed his backing for the legislation over the weekend, and said he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with those affected and their representatives who were watching from a public section, applauded after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from a GOP representative, who expressed concern he was concerned the measure would make public personal information of witnesses, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
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