The Senate on Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of case documents related to the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The White House gave in after months of trying to delay the bipartisan effort involving a case that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Just before, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a massive majority.
“The American people have waited long enough. Those affected have suffered long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader declared in a floor speech on Tuesday, before asking the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Let the truth come out. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
This legislation next heads to Donald Trump for his endorsement. He indicated on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Though Trump has for an extended period rejected the outcry over the authorities' approach of the Epstein case as a “false narrative”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the weekend, and announced he would give his assent if it comes to him.
Support and Opposition
Opposition lawmakers, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were present in a public section, cheered after the bill was passed. The sole “no” vote came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he feared the measure would disclose identifying details of individuals involved, potential suspects and others caught up in the investigation.
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