The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will force the release of official records concerning the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by the president and his GOP allies. The administration changed course after an extended period of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a controversy that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
Citizens have been patient long enough. Those affected have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before asking the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Uncover the facts. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
The measure next will be sent to Trump for his signature. Trump signaled on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Although the president has for months dismissed the outcry over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “political stunt”, he voiced approval for the measure over the past few days, and announced he would sign the measure if it is presented to him.
Response
The Democratic party, along with victims and their representatives who were present in a House gallery, cheered after the bill was approved. Lone dissent came from a GOP representative, who expressed concern he worried the measure would reveal identifying details of people, those under scrutiny and others caught up in the investigation.
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