The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will require the publication of official records associated with the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a reversal by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. Trump's team relented after months of trying to forestall the bipartisan effort involving a case that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Earlier that day, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a 427-1 tally.
Citizens have been patient long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited patiently,” Chuck Schumer said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Reveal the truth. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
The bill next goes to the president for his approval. He indicated on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Although the president has for an extended period rejected the uproar over the official management of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he voiced approval for the legislation over the weekend, and said he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Response
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were present in a public section, broke into applause after the bill was approved. The sole “no” vote came from a GOP representative, who said he feared the measure would reveal specific data of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others implicated in the investigation.
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