The Senate on Tuesday passed without delay to a measure that will mandate the disclosure of investigative files concerning the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a overwhelming vote in the House of Representatives and a reversal by the president and his GOP allies. Trump's team gave in after months of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a controversy that has plagued the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have waited long enough. Those affected have waited long enough,” the top Senate Democrat declared in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
This legislation next heads to Donald Trump for his endorsement. Trump signaled on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Though Trump has for an extended period downplayed the outcry over the official management of the investigation as a “Democrat hoax”, he expressed his backing for the legislation over the past few days, and said he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were present in a public section, applauded after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who expressed concern he was concerned the measure would make public identifying details of witnesses, potential suspects and others implicated in the investigation.
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