The Senate on this Tuesday passed without delay to a measure that will require the publication of case documents concerning the late 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 gave in after months of trying to block the joint action involving a case that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Just before, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a 427-1 tally.
The public have waited long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader declared in a floor speech on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Uncover the facts. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
This legislation next heads to Trump for his signature. The president signaled on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Although Trump has for months rejected the uproar over the official management of the Epstein case as a “false narrative”, he expressed his backing for the measure over the weekend, and said he would sign the measure if it comes to him.
Response
Democrats, along with those affected and their advocates who were present in a viewing area, applauded after the bill was enacted. The sole “no” vote came from a Louisiana Republican, who expressed concern he feared the measure would make public personal information of people, potential suspects and others involved in the investigation.
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