The Senate on Tuesday quickly approved to legislation that will require the publication of case documents concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a reversal by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. Trump's team changed course after months of trying to forestall the joint action involving a scandal 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 formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Earlier that day, the House voted decisively for the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
Citizens have waited long enough. The survivors have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader declared in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Reveal the truth. Let transparency reign.”
Next Steps
The measure next goes to Trump for his approval. Trump indicated on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Although the president has for months dismissed the outcry over the official management of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he expressed his backing for the measure over the weekend, and stated he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Support and Opposition
The Democratic party, along with victims and their representatives who were seated in a public section, cheered after the bill was enacted. The sole “no” vote came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he worried the measure would reveal specific data of witnesses, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
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