The Senate on Tuesday passed without delay to legislation that will require the publication of investigative files associated with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a reversal by the president and his GOP allies. The White House changed course after an extended period of trying to block the joint action involving a case that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Approval in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House voted decisively for the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have been patient long enough. The survivors have waited long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before asking the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Uncover the facts. Let transparency reign.”
Next Steps
The measure next will be sent to the president for his approval. He stated on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Though the president has for an extended period downplayed the controversy over the official management of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the past few days, and stated he would sign the measure if it comes to him.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were watching from a public section, applauded after the bill was passed. The sole “no” vote came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he worried the measure would make public personal information of individuals involved, potential suspects and others implicated in the investigation.
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