The Senate on this Tuesday quickly approved to legislation that will force the release of official records concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House changed course after an extended period of trying to forestall the cross-party initiative involving a controversy that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Approval in Congress
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a formal roll call vote, accelerating the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
Citizens have endured sufficient delay. Those affected have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat declared in a floor speech on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Allow openness to prevail.”
Presidential Signature
The measure next will be sent to Trump for his approval. Trump stated on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Though Trump has for months dismissed the outcry over the official management of the investigation as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the measure over the past few days, and announced he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Reaction
Opposition lawmakers, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were seated in a public section, broke into applause after the bill was approved. Lone dissent came from a GOP representative, who expressed concern he was concerned the measure would make public personal information of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others implicated in the investigation.
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