The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of official records associated with the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House gave in after months of trying to delay the bipartisan effort involving a controversy that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by consensus, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Just before, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a 427-1 tally.
The public have waited long enough. Those affected have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer stated in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before asking the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Uncover the facts. Ensure full disclosure.”
Next Steps
The bill next goes to Donald Trump for his signature. The president signaled on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Though Trump has for months downplayed the outcry over the authorities' approach of the investigation as a “false narrative”, he expressed his backing for the House bill over the weekend, and announced he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Response
Opposition lawmakers, along with victims and their supporters who were seated in a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he feared the measure would disclose personal information of people, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
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