The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday passed without delay to a measure that will force the release of case documents related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a change of position by the president and his Republican allies. Trump's team relented after months of trying to delay the bipartisan effort involving a case that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House voted decisively for the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have been patient long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited patiently,” Chuck Schumer stated in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Ensure full disclosure.”
Presidential Signature
This legislation next will be sent to the president for his approval. He indicated on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Although the president has for months dismissed the outcry over the official management of the Epstein case as a “political stunt”, he expressed his backing for the legislation over the weekend, and stated he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Support and Opposition
The Democratic party, along with victims and their representatives who were seated in a viewing area, cheered after the bill was approved. The sole “no” vote came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he feared the measure would make public identifying details of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others implicated in the investigation.
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