The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday quickly approved to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of case documents related to the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a overwhelming vote in the lower house and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House relented after months of trying to forestall the joint action involving a scandal that has followed 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 does not require a formal roll call vote, accelerating the process. Hours earlier, the House voted decisively for the bill on a massive majority.
“The American people have been patient long enough. Those affected have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader declared in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Uncover the facts. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The measure next goes to Donald Trump for his approval. The president indicated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Although the president has for months downplayed the outcry over the official management of the scandal as a “political stunt”, he voiced approval for the House bill over the past few days, and said he would give his assent if it reaches his desk.
Response
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were watching from a public section, applauded after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from a GOP representative, who said he worried the measure would disclose personal information of people, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
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