The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will require the publication of investigative files related to the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The administration changed course after months of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a scandal that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by consensus, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a massive majority.
“The American people have waited long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited patiently,” Chuck Schumer said in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Uncover the facts. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
This legislation next will be sent to Donald Trump for his signature. The president signaled on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Even though Trump has for months dismissed the uproar over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “political stunt”, he expressed his backing for the measure over the past few days, and stated he would give his assent if it comes to him.
Response
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were seated in a House gallery, applauded after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from a GOP representative, who stated he worried the measure would reveal identifying details of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others implicated in the investigation.
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