The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday gave swift approval to a measure that will require the publication of case documents concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a change of position by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The administration relented after months of trying to forestall the joint action involving a scandal that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by general agreement, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a massive majority.
The public have endured sufficient delay. The survivors have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Uncover the facts. Allow openness to prevail.”
Future Action
The bill next will be sent to Donald Trump for his signature. The president indicated on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Although Trump has for months rejected the controversy over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “political stunt”, he expressed his backing for the legislation over the past few days, and announced he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with those affected and their advocates who were watching from a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who said he feared the measure would reveal specific data of people, potential suspects and others involved in the investigation.
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