The Senate on this Tuesday quickly approved to a bill that will mandate the disclosure of official records associated with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a overwhelming vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The administration changed course after months of trying to forestall the bipartisan effort involving a case that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by general agreement, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. The survivors have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader said in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Uncover the facts. Allow openness to prevail.”
Future Action
The bill next goes to Trump for his signature. The president signaled on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Though the president has for an extended period dismissed the outcry over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “false narrative”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the weekend, and announced he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with those affected and their supporters who were present in a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was passed. Lone dissent came from Clay Higgins, who said he worried the measure would reveal identifying details of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others involved in the investigation.
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