The Senate on Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will force the release of case documents concerning the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a overwhelming vote in the lower house and a shift by the president and his GOP allies. The administration changed course after an extended period of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a controversy that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Earlier that day, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a massive majority.
The public have endured sufficient delay. The survivors have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer stated in a floor speech on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Uncover the facts. Allow openness to prevail.”
Future Action
The measure next will be sent to Donald Trump for his approval. Trump signaled on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Although Trump has for an extended period downplayed the uproar over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “political stunt”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the past few days, and said he would approve it if it comes to him.
Support and Opposition
Opposition lawmakers, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were seated in a House gallery, broke into applause after the bill was approved. The sole “no” vote came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he worried the measure would make public identifying details of people, those under scrutiny and others involved in the investigation.
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