The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to legislation that will force the release of case documents concerning the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a reversal by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. Trump's team gave in after months of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a controversy that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Congress
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Just before, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
Citizens have waited long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Reveal the truth. Allow openness to prevail.”
Presidential Signature
The measure next will be sent to the president for his approval. The president indicated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Though Trump has for an extended period rejected the uproar over the official management of the investigation as a “political stunt”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the weekend, and announced he would give his assent if it is presented to him.
Response
Opposition lawmakers, along with victims and their representatives who were present in a public section, applauded after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from a GOP representative, who said he worried the measure would make public specific data of people, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
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