The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of case documents concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a overwhelming vote in the House of Representatives and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. Trump's team changed course after months of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a scandal that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, expediting the process. Earlier that day, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a massive majority.
“The American people have waited long enough. Those affected have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Next Steps
This legislation next will be sent to Trump for his signature. The president signaled on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Even though Trump has for months dismissed the uproar over the government’s handling of the investigation as a “political stunt”, he expressed his backing for the House bill over the weekend, and stated he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Response
Opposition lawmakers, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were seated in a House gallery, cheered after the bill was approved. The sole “no” vote came from a GOP representative, who stated he worried the measure would reveal specific data of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others implicated in the investigation.
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