The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will require the publication of investigative files associated with the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a reversal by the president and his GOP allies. Trump's team gave in after months of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a controversy that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by consensus, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, accelerating the process. Just before, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
Citizens have been patient long enough. The survivors have waited long enough,” the top Senate Democrat stated in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Uncover the facts. Let transparency reign.”
Next Steps
The bill next heads to Trump for his signature. Trump indicated on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Though the president has for an extended period rejected the uproar over the official management of the investigation as a “false narrative”, he voiced approval for the House bill over the weekend, and announced he would give his assent if it comes to him.
Reaction
Opposition lawmakers, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were watching from a House gallery, cheered after the bill was approved. Lone dissent came from Clay Higgins, who expressed concern he was concerned the measure would disclose personal information of people, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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