The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of investigative files concerning the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by the president and his Republican allies. Trump's team gave in after an extended period of trying to forestall the bipartisan effort involving a case that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Approval in Congress
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, accelerating the process. Hours earlier, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
The public have waited long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited patiently,” the top Senate Democrat said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Uncover the facts. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
The bill next will be sent to the president for his signature. He signaled on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Though the president has for months downplayed the uproar over the official management of the Epstein case as a “false narrative”, he expressed his backing for the measure over the past few days, and announced he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with victims and their supporters who were present in a House gallery, applauded after the bill was passed. The sole “no” vote came from Clay Higgins, who expressed concern he was concerned the measure would make public identifying details of individuals involved, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
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