Senate Passes Measure to Disclose Jeffrey Epstein Documents
The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to legislation that will require the publication of case documents associated with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The administration gave in after an extended period of trying to forestall the cross-party initiative involving a case that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Congress
Senators proceeded by consensus, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, accelerating the process. Hours earlier, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
The public have been patient long enough. Those affected have suffered long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
This legislation next will be sent to Trump for his signature. The president indicated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Even though Trump has for an extended period rejected the outcry over the authorities' approach of the investigation as a “political stunt”, he voiced approval for the House bill over the past few days, and said he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Response
Opposition lawmakers, along with those affected and their advocates who were watching from a viewing area, applauded after the bill was approved. The sole “no” vote came from a Louisiana Republican, who expressed concern he feared the measure would reveal personal information of people, those under scrutiny and others involved in the investigation.
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