The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will force the release of investigative files concerning the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House relented after an extended period of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by general agreement, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Earlier that day, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a massive majority.
Citizens have been patient long enough. Those affected have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader declared in a floor speech on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Uncover the facts. Allow openness to prevail.”
Next Steps
The measure next heads to the president for his approval. Trump signaled on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Although the president has for months downplayed the uproar over the official management of the scandal as a “political stunt”, he voiced approval for the measure over the weekend, and announced he would sign the measure if it comes to him.
Support and Opposition
The Democratic party, along with those affected and their advocates who were seated in a public section, broke into applause after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he worried the measure would disclose identifying details of people, potential suspects and others involved in the investigation.
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