The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday gave swift approval to a measure that will force the release of official records concerning the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House gave in after months of trying to block the cross-party initiative involving a controversy that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Passage in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have been patient long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader declared in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Next Steps
The measure next goes to Donald Trump for his endorsement. The president indicated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Though Trump has for an extended period downplayed the controversy over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the past few days, and said he would sign the measure if it is presented to him.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with victims and their advocates who were present in a House gallery, applauded after the bill was passed. The sole “no” vote came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he feared the measure would make public specific data of people, potential suspects and others implicated in the investigation.
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