The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will force the release of official records concerning the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a reversal by the president and his GOP allies. The administration relented after months of trying to forestall the joint action involving a controversy that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, expediting the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have waited long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader stated in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Reveal the truth. Let transparency reign.”
Next Steps
This legislation next goes to the president for his signature. Trump stated on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Though the president has for months rejected the controversy over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the past few days, and said he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were watching from a House gallery, broke into applause after the bill was enacted. The sole “no” vote came from a GOP representative, who stated he was concerned the measure would make public specific data of individuals involved, those under scrutiny and others involved in the investigation.
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