The Senate on this Tuesday gave swift approval to a measure that will require the publication of official records associated with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The administration gave in after an extended period of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a case that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Congress
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a formal roll call vote, accelerating the process. Earlier that day, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a massive majority.
The public have been patient long enough. The survivors have waited long enough,” the top Senate Democrat declared in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Uncover the facts. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The measure next heads to Donald Trump for his signature. He indicated on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Even though Trump has for months downplayed the controversy over the government’s handling of the investigation as a “false narrative”, he signalled his support for the measure over the weekend, and announced he would sign the measure if it comes to him.
Reaction
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were seated in a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who expressed concern he was concerned the measure would disclose identifying details of individuals involved, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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