The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to legislation that will force the release of official records related to the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a overwhelming vote in the House of Representatives and a shift by the president and his GOP allies. Trump's team relented after months of trying to delay the bipartisan effort involving a case that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by consensus, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, expediting the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a 427-1 tally.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. The survivors have suffered long enough,” Chuck Schumer stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Let the truth come out. Allow openness to prevail.”
Presidential Signature
The bill next heads to Trump for his approval. Trump stated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Though the president has for an extended period downplayed the outcry over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “Democrat hoax”, he expressed his backing for the legislation over the past few days, and announced he would sign the measure if it is presented to him.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with victims and their supporters who were watching from a viewing area, applauded after the bill was enacted. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who expressed concern he worried the measure would reveal identifying details of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others implicated in the investigation.
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