The Senate on this Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will require the publication of investigative files associated with the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by the president and his GOP allies. The White House gave in after months of trying to forestall the bipartisan effort involving a controversy that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a 427-1 tally.
“The American people have been patient long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited patiently,” Chuck Schumer stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Uncover the facts. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
The bill next goes to the president for his approval. The president indicated on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Though Trump has for months dismissed the controversy over the authorities' approach of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he expressed his backing for the House bill over the weekend, and stated he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Response
The Democratic party, along with victims and their supporters who were present in a public section, cheered after the bill was enacted. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he was concerned the measure would reveal personal information of people, potential suspects and others involved in the investigation.
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