The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will mandate the disclosure of investigative files associated with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The administration gave in after an extended period of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a scandal that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, accelerating the process. Just before, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. The survivors have suffered long enough,” Chuck Schumer stated in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Allow openness to prevail.”
Presidential Signature
This legislation next will be sent to the president for his signature. The president signaled on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Although Trump has for months rejected the outcry over the official management of the investigation as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the measure over the past few days, and stated he would give his assent if it reaches his desk.
Response
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were seated in a House gallery, broke into applause after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from a GOP representative, who said he worried the measure would reveal identifying details of people, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
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