The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of official records concerning the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a change of position by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. Trump's team changed course after months of trying to block the joint action involving a scandal that has plagued the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Passage in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Just before, the House voted decisively for the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have waited long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” Chuck Schumer declared in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before asking the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Uncover the facts. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
This legislation next goes to the president for his approval. The president indicated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Even though the president has for months dismissed the controversy over the authorities' approach of the investigation as a “political stunt”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the past few days, and announced he would sign the measure if it comes to him.
Support and Opposition
Opposition lawmakers, along with those affected and their supporters who were seated in a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was passed. The sole “no” vote came from Clay Higgins, who stated he worried the measure would make public identifying details of witnesses, potential suspects and others involved in the investigation.
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