The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday quickly approved to a bill that will mandate the disclosure of investigative files concerning the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by the president and his Republican allies. The White House gave in after months of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by consensus, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, accelerating the process. Earlier that day, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have waited long enough. The survivors have waited patiently,” the top Senate Democrat said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The bill next will be sent to the president for his approval. The president stated on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Even though the president has for months dismissed the controversy over the government’s handling of the scandal as a “Democrat hoax”, he expressed his backing for the legislation over the past few days, and stated he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were watching from a public section, broke into applause after the bill was enacted. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who expressed concern he feared the measure would reveal personal information of individuals involved, potential suspects and others involved in the investigation.
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