The Senate on this Tuesday quickly approved to a measure that will force the release of official records concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a overwhelming vote in the lower house and a change of position by the president and his Republican allies. The administration relented after months of trying to forestall the joint action involving a controversy that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Passage in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a formal roll call vote, accelerating the process. Just before, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a massive majority.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat declared in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Reveal the truth. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
The bill next will be sent to Trump for his signature. Trump signaled on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Although Trump has for months rejected the outcry over the official management of the scandal as a “political stunt”, he expressed his backing for the legislation over the weekend, and announced he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Response
The Democratic party, along with those affected and their supporters who were watching from a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was approved. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he worried the measure would disclose specific data of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others caught up in the investigation.
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