The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday quickly approved to a measure that will require the publication of investigative files concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a overwhelming vote in the lower house and a reversal by the president and his Republican allies. The White House changed course after an extended period of trying to forestall the bipartisan effort involving a controversy that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Approval in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by consensus, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a massive majority.
“The American people have waited long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have suffered long enough,” Chuck Schumer declared in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Allow openness to prevail.”
Future Action
The measure next will be sent to the president for his approval. Trump indicated on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Although Trump has for months downplayed the uproar over the authorities' approach of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he voiced approval for the House bill over the weekend, and stated he would approve it if it comes to him.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were seated in a viewing area, cheered after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who expressed concern he was concerned the measure would make public identifying details of individuals involved, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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