The Senate on this Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will force the release of investigative files associated with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by the president and his GOP allies. The White House relented after months of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a controversy that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a formal roll call vote, expediting the process. Earlier that day, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a massive majority.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Reveal the truth. Let transparency reign.”
Next Steps
This legislation next will be sent to the president for his approval. He signaled on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Though the president has for months dismissed the controversy over the government’s handling of the investigation as a “political stunt”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the weekend, and said he would sign the measure if it is presented to him.
Response
The Democratic party, along with those affected and their representatives who were watching from a House gallery, applauded after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who expressed concern he was concerned the measure would reveal specific data of individuals involved, those under scrutiny and others caught up in the investigation.
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