The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will force the release of investigative files related to the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a reversal by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The White House relented after an extended period of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a controversy that has plagued the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by general agreement, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, expediting the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a massive majority.
Citizens have been patient long enough. The survivors have waited patiently,” Chuck Schumer said in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Uncover the facts. Ensure full disclosure.”
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The bill next will be sent to the president for his approval. The president signaled on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Although Trump has for an extended period rejected the controversy over the authorities' approach of the Epstein case as a “false narrative”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the weekend, and stated he would approve it if it comes to him.
Reaction
Opposition lawmakers, along with those affected and their supporters who were watching from a House gallery, cheered after the bill was passed. The sole “no” vote came from Clay Higgins, who expressed concern he feared the measure would reveal identifying details of witnesses, potential suspects and others involved in the investigation.
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