The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday quickly approved to legislation that will force the release of investigative files concerning the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a overwhelming vote in the US House of Representatives and a change of position by the president and his Republican allies. The White House changed course after months of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a scandal that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Approval in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, expediting the process. Earlier that day, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have waited long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” Chuck Schumer stated in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Ensure full disclosure.”
Next Steps
The measure next heads to Trump for his signature. He stated on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Although Trump has for an extended period dismissed the outcry over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he expressed his backing for the legislation over the past few days, and said he would approve it if it comes to him.
Support and Opposition
Opposition lawmakers, along with victims and their supporters who were present in a public section, broke into applause after the bill was approved. Lone dissent came from a GOP representative, who said he feared the measure would disclose identifying details of witnesses, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
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