The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday gave swift approval to a measure that will force the release of case documents related to the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a change of position by the president and his Republican allies. Trump's team gave in after an extended period of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a case that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House voted decisively for the bill on a massive majority.
The public have waited long enough. The survivors have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Reveal the truth. Allow openness to prevail.”
Future Action
The measure next goes to Trump for his approval. Trump signaled on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Though the president has for months downplayed the outcry over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he expressed his backing for the House bill over the weekend, and stated he would sign the measure if it comes to him.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were watching from a public section, applauded after the bill was approved. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he was concerned the measure would disclose specific data of witnesses, potential suspects and others implicated in the investigation.
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