The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of official records concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a change of position by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. Trump's team relented after months of trying to forestall the cross-party initiative involving a controversy that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Earlier that day, the House voted decisively for the bill on a massive majority.
Citizens have waited long enough. The survivors have waited long enough,” the top Senate Democrat declared in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Allow openness to prevail.”
Future Action
This legislation next heads to Donald Trump for his endorsement. He indicated on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Though the president has for months rejected the uproar over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the measure over the weekend, and said he would give his assent if it comes to him.
Support and Opposition
Opposition lawmakers, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were watching from a public section, broke into applause after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from a GOP representative, who said he worried the measure would make public identifying details of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others involved in the investigation.
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