The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday quickly approved to a bill that will require the publication of official records related to the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a reversal by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. Trump's team changed course after an extended period of trying to delay the joint action involving a controversy that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Earlier that day, the House voted decisively for the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
The public have been patient long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Uncover the facts. Ensure full disclosure.”
Presidential Signature
The bill next heads to Trump for his approval. He stated on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Although the president has for an extended period rejected the outcry over the official management of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he expressed his backing for the House bill over the weekend, and announced he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Response
Opposition lawmakers, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were present in a public section, cheered after the bill was enacted. The sole “no” vote came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he worried the measure would reveal personal information of people, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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