The Senate on Tuesday gave swift approval to a measure that will require the publication of case documents concerning the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a change of position by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The White House gave in after months of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a case that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, accelerating the process. Just before, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
The public have been patient long enough. Those affected have suffered long enough,” Chuck Schumer declared in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Uncover the facts. Allow openness to prevail.”
Future Action
The bill next goes to the president for his approval. Trump signaled on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Though Trump has for an extended period rejected the uproar over the government’s handling of the investigation as a “false narrative”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the weekend, and announced he would give his assent if it is presented to him.
Support and Opposition
Opposition lawmakers, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were present in a public section, applauded after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from a GOP representative, who said he worried the measure would disclose identifying details of people, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
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