The Senate on Tuesday passed without delay to a measure that will force the release of investigative files related to the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a reversal by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House gave in after an extended period of trying to forestall the cross-party initiative involving a controversy that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, expediting the process. Earlier that day, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Uncover the facts. Allow openness to prevail.”
Next Steps
The bill next will be sent to Trump for his approval. He signaled on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Although the president has for months rejected the outcry over the official management of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the past few days, and announced he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Response
The Democratic party, along with those affected and their representatives who were present in a House gallery, broke into applause after the bill was approved. The sole “no” vote came from a GOP representative, who expressed concern he worried the measure would reveal specific data of witnesses, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
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