The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will force the release of official records associated with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a change of position by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The administration gave in after an extended period of trying to forestall the cross-party initiative involving a case that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Congress
The Senate acted by consensus, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, accelerating the process. Just before, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
The public have been patient long enough. Those affected have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
This legislation next heads to Trump for his signature. The president stated on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Even though the president has for months dismissed the uproar over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “political stunt”, he voiced approval for the legislation over the past few days, and announced he would sign the measure if it is presented to him.
Response
Democrats, along with victims and their supporters who were present in a House gallery, cheered after the bill was enacted. Lone dissent came from a GOP representative, who expressed concern he worried the measure would disclose personal information of people, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
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