The Senate on Tuesday quickly approved to a bill that will require the publication of official records related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a overwhelming vote in the lower house and a shift by the president and his Republican allies. The White House gave in after months of trying to forestall the joint action involving a controversy that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House voted decisively for the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
Citizens have waited long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” Chuck Schumer declared in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before asking the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Uncover the facts. Ensure full disclosure.”
Next Steps
The bill next goes to the president for his approval. Trump signaled on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Although the president has for an extended period downplayed the outcry over the official management of the Epstein case as a “false narrative”, he signalled his support for the measure over the weekend, and announced he would sign the measure if it comes to him.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were present in a public section, broke into applause after the bill was enacted. The sole “no” vote came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he was concerned the measure would reveal personal information of people, potential suspects and others involved in the investigation.
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