The Senate on this Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will mandate the disclosure of official records concerning the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a shift by the president and his GOP allies. Trump's team gave in after months of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Approval in Congress
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, expediting the process. Just before, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
Citizens have waited long enough. The survivors have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Reveal the truth. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
This legislation next goes to Donald Trump for his approval. The president stated on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Even though the president has for months downplayed the uproar over the official management of the scandal as a “political stunt”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the weekend, and announced he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with victims and their supporters who were seated in a viewing area, cheered after the bill was passed. Lone dissent came from a GOP representative, who stated he feared the measure would make public personal information of people, potential suspects and others involved in the investigation.
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