The Senate on this Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of official records associated with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a overwhelming vote in the US House of Representatives and a reversal by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House relented after an extended period of trying to block the joint action involving a scandal that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Passage in Congress
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance 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 waited long enough. The survivors have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader declared in a floor speech on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The measure next goes to Donald Trump for his endorsement. The president indicated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Even though the president has for months dismissed the controversy over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “political stunt”, he voiced approval for the House bill over the weekend, and stated he would give his assent if it is presented to him.
Response
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were seated in a public section, broke into applause after the bill was approved. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who expressed concern he feared the measure would disclose identifying details of individuals involved, those under scrutiny and others caught up in the investigation.
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