Senate Approves Legislation to Disclose Epstein Documents
The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will require the publication of investigative files concerning the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a reversal by the president and his Republican allies. The White House changed course after months of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a case that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Just before, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
“The American people have waited long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” Chuck Schumer said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Uncover the facts. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
The bill next heads to the president for his signature. Trump signaled on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Although Trump has for months rejected the outcry over the government’s handling of the scandal as a “Democrat hoax”, he voiced approval for the measure over the weekend, and stated he would sign the measure if it comes to him.
Support and Opposition
The Democratic party, along with victims and their advocates who were present in a House gallery, cheered after the bill was enacted. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he was concerned the measure would reveal personal information of individuals involved, potential suspects and others implicated in the investigation.
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