The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday quickly approved to a bill that will require the publication of official records associated with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a change of position by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The administration gave in after months of trying to block the joint action involving a case that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Passage in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Just before, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
Citizens have waited long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Uncover the facts. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
The measure next will be sent to Donald Trump for his signature. Trump indicated on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Although the president has for an extended period rejected the uproar over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “false narrative”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the past few days, and announced he would approve it if it comes to him.
Response
Opposition lawmakers, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were seated in a House gallery, applauded after the bill was enacted. The sole “no” vote came from a Louisiana Republican, who expressed concern he worried the measure would disclose identifying details of people, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
Other News Updates
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