The Senate on Tuesday passed without delay to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of case documents associated with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following 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 months of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a controversy that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a formal roll call vote, expediting the process. Just before, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
The public have been patient long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited patiently,” the top Senate Democrat stated in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Ensure full disclosure.”
Next Steps
The measure next will be sent to Donald Trump for his signature. The president stated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Though Trump has for months downplayed the uproar over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “political stunt”, he voiced approval for the legislation over the weekend, and stated he would give his assent if it comes to him.
Response
Opposition lawmakers, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were watching from a public section, broke into applause after the bill was passed. The sole “no” vote came from Clay Higgins, who stated he feared the measure would reveal specific data of individuals involved, those under scrutiny and others implicated in the investigation.
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