The upper chamber of Congress 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 overwhelming vote in the lower house and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. Trump's team gave in after months of trying to forestall the joint action involving a controversy that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
“The American people have waited long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Next Steps
This legislation next heads to Trump for his endorsement. Trump indicated on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Even though the president has for an extended period downplayed the controversy over the official management of the scandal as a “Democrat hoax”, he expressed his backing for the measure over the past few days, and announced he would sign the measure if it comes to him.
Support and Opposition
Opposition lawmakers, along with victims and their supporters who were seated in a House gallery, broke into applause after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from a GOP representative, who stated he was concerned the measure would make public personal information of people, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
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