The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will require the publication of investigative files related to the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by the president and his GOP allies. The White House changed course after an extended period of trying to block the joint action involving a case that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Congress
Senators proceeded by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Just before, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
The public have been patient long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited patiently,” the top Senate Democrat declared in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Reveal the truth. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
This legislation next goes to the president for his signature. He stated on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Though the president has for months dismissed the controversy over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “political stunt”, he voiced approval for the measure over the past few days, and said he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Support and Opposition
Opposition lawmakers, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were present in a House gallery, cheered after the bill was passed. The sole “no” vote came from a GOP representative, who stated he was concerned the measure would make public specific data of individuals involved, those under scrutiny and others caught up in the investigation.
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