The Senate on Tuesday passed without delay to legislation that will require the publication of case documents concerning the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a change of position by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The administration changed course after months of trying to forestall the bipartisan effort involving a case that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, accelerating the process. Hours earlier, the House voted decisively for the bill on a massive majority.
Citizens have waited long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat declared in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Reveal the truth. Allow openness to prevail.”
Next Steps
This legislation next goes to the president for his signature. Trump stated on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Though the president has for months dismissed the outcry over the government’s handling 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 reaches his desk.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with victims and their advocates who were present in a House gallery, broke into applause after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who stated he was concerned the measure would reveal specific data of people, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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