The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday quickly approved to legislation that will require the publication of investigative files concerning the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. Trump's team relented after months of trying to block the joint action involving a scandal that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, expediting the process. Earlier that day, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have waited long enough. The survivors have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Let the truth come out. Ensure full disclosure.”
Presidential Signature
The measure next goes to Donald Trump for his approval. He indicated on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Even though Trump has for an extended period downplayed the controversy over the government’s handling of the scandal as a “political stunt”, he expressed his backing for the legislation over the weekend, and announced he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Reaction
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were seated in a public section, applauded after the bill was passed. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he feared the measure would make public specific data of people, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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