The Senate on Tuesday passed without delay to legislation that will force the release of investigative files associated with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a reversal by the president and his GOP allies. Trump's team changed course after months of trying to block the cross-party initiative involving a scandal that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, expediting the process. Just before, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader declared in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Allow openness to prevail.”
Next Steps
The measure next will be sent to the president for his endorsement. He stated on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Though the president has for months downplayed the outcry over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “Democrat hoax”, he voiced approval for the legislation over the weekend, and stated he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Response
The Democratic party, along with victims and their advocates who were seated in a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was approved. Lone dissent came from Clay Higgins, who expressed concern he feared the measure would reveal identifying details of people, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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