The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday passed without delay to a measure that will force the release of official records associated with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by the president and his GOP allies. The administration relented after an extended period of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a case that has plagued the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, accelerating the process. Just before, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
The public have been patient long enough. The survivors have waited long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader declared in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Reveal the truth. Allow openness to prevail.”
Future Action
The measure next goes to Donald Trump for his approval. The president signaled on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Although the president has for months dismissed the controversy over the official management of the scandal as a “political stunt”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the weekend, and stated he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Response
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were seated in a viewing area, cheered after the bill was approved. The sole “no” vote came from Clay Higgins, who stated he worried the measure would reveal specific data of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others caught up in the investigation.
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