The Senate on this Tuesday passed without delay to a measure that will force the release of investigative files related to the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by the president and his GOP allies. Trump's team gave in after months of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a controversy that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, accelerating the process. Earlier that day, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
The public have waited long enough. The survivors have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer declared in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
This legislation next goes to Donald Trump for his signature. The president indicated on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Though the president has for an extended period downplayed the outcry over the authorities' approach of the investigation as a “false narrative”, he voiced approval for the legislation over the past few days, and said he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Response
Democrats, along with victims and their representatives who were watching from a public section, cheered after the bill was approved. The sole “no” vote came from a GOP representative, who stated he feared the measure would reveal specific data of people, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
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