The Senate on this Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of official records associated with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The administration gave in after an extended period of trying to block the joint action involving a scandal that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a formal roll call vote, accelerating the process. Just before, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
The public have waited long enough. Those affected have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Reveal the truth. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The measure next will be sent to Trump for his signature. Trump stated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Although Trump has for months downplayed the outcry over the official management of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he expressed his backing for the measure over the weekend, and said he would sign the measure if it comes to him.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with those affected and their advocates who were seated in a public section, applauded after the bill was approved. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who expressed concern he worried the measure would reveal specific data of individuals involved, those under scrutiny and others caught up in the investigation.
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