The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday quickly approved to a measure that will mandate the disclosure of official records concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. Trump's team relented after an extended period of trying to forestall the cross-party initiative involving a controversy that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Approval in Congress
Senators proceeded by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, expediting the process. Hours earlier, the House voted decisively for the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. The survivors have waited long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Allow openness to prevail.”
Next Steps
This legislation next heads to Donald Trump for his approval. Trump signaled on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Although the president has for an extended period dismissed the uproar over the official management of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he expressed his backing for the measure over the weekend, and said he would sign the measure if it is presented to him.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with those affected and their representatives who were present in a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was approved. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he was concerned the measure would make public specific data of witnesses, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
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