The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday gave swift approval to a measure that will mandate the disclosure of case documents related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House relented after an extended period of trying to delay the bipartisan effort involving a case that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Approval in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by consensus, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
The public have waited long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited patiently,” Chuck Schumer stated in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Uncover the facts. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
The measure next heads to Trump for his approval. Trump signaled on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Although Trump has for an extended period dismissed the uproar over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “political stunt”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the past few days, and announced he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Response
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were watching from a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was approved. The sole “no” vote came from a GOP representative, who stated he was concerned the measure would make public personal information of individuals involved, those under scrutiny and others involved in the investigation.
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