The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will force the release of case documents related to the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a change of position by the president and his GOP allies. The administration changed course after months of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a case that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Passage in Congress
The Senate acted by consensus, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, accelerating the process. Just before, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
Citizens have waited long enough. Those affected have waited patiently,” Chuck Schumer said in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Reveal the truth. Allow openness to prevail.”
Next Steps
The measure next heads to Trump for his endorsement. The president indicated on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Even though Trump has for months dismissed the outcry over the official management of the investigation as a “false narrative”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the weekend, and stated he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Reaction
Opposition lawmakers, along with victims and their representatives who were seated in a public section, broke into applause after the bill was approved. The sole “no” vote came from Clay Higgins, who stated he was concerned the measure would disclose specific data of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others implicated in the investigation.
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