The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday quickly approved to a measure that will force the release of case documents associated with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a change of position by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. Trump's team relented after an extended period of trying to forestall the joint action involving a controversy that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, accelerating the process. Earlier that day, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a massive majority.
“The American people have waited long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat declared in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The bill next heads to Trump for his approval. He signaled on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Although the president has for an extended period downplayed the outcry over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “political stunt”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the weekend, and stated he would approve it if it comes to him.
Response
The Democratic party, along with victims and their advocates who were present in a public section, applauded after the bill was passed. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who expressed concern he feared the measure would reveal personal information of individuals involved, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
Other Headlines
- Trump receives backlash for referring to a female Bloomberg reporter as ‘piggy’ during a confrontation onboard Air Force One.
- Judge rejects ‘discriminatory’ maps in the state of Texas that gave Republicans extra districts.
- A significant number of Department of Education's responsibilities transferred to different agencies as part of White House efforts.
- Large-scale operations expand to the state's capital, with authorities confirming ongoing activities.
