The Senate on this Tuesday quickly approved to a measure that will require the publication of case documents concerning the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a reversal by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. Trump's team gave in after months of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a controversy that has plagued the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Congress
The Senate acted by consensus, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a formal roll call vote, expediting the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
Citizens have been patient long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Uncover the facts. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
The measure next heads to Trump for his signature. The president stated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Though the president has for months rejected the outcry over the official management of the investigation as a “political stunt”, he signalled his support for the measure over the past few days, and stated he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Reaction
Democrats, along with those affected and their advocates who were seated in a public section, broke into applause after the bill was passed. The sole “no” vote came from a GOP representative, who expressed concern he worried the measure would reveal identifying details of people, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
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