The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to legislation that will force the release of investigative files related to the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a overwhelming vote in the lower house and a shift by the president and his Republican allies. The administration gave in after an extended period of trying to block the cross-party initiative involving a controversy that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, expediting the process. Earlier that day, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a 427-1 tally.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat declared in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
The bill next heads to Donald Trump for his endorsement. The president signaled on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Although the president has for months downplayed the controversy over the official management of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the weekend, and said he would approve it if it comes to him.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were watching from a public section, applauded after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who said he was concerned the measure would disclose personal information of individuals involved, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
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