The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday quickly approved to legislation that will require the publication of case documents related to the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by the president and his GOP allies. Trump's team relented after an extended period of trying to block the cross-party initiative involving a scandal that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, accelerating the process. Hours earlier, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
Citizens have been patient long enough. Those affected have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer 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 approval. The president signaled on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Even though the president has for an extended period dismissed the outcry over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “political stunt”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the past few days, and said he would sign the measure if it is presented to him.
Support and Opposition
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were seated in a public section, applauded after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he was concerned the measure would reveal personal information of individuals involved, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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