The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday quickly approved to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of case documents associated with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by the president and his Republican allies. The administration gave in after an extended period of trying to forestall the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Passage in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by general agreement, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, accelerating the process. Just before, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
The public have endured sufficient delay. Those affected have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer stated in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Next Steps
The bill next heads to the president for his signature. Trump indicated on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Though the president has for an extended period downplayed the outcry over the government’s handling of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he voiced approval for the measure over the weekend, and stated he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Reaction
Democrats, along with those affected and their representatives who were seated in a public section, cheered after the bill was approved. Lone dissent came from a GOP representative, who expressed concern he feared the measure would reveal specific data of individuals involved, those under scrutiny and others implicated in the investigation.
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