The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday quickly approved to a bill that will require the publication of official records concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a shift by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. Trump's team gave in after months of trying to block the joint action involving a controversy that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, expediting the process. Hours earlier, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
The public have been patient long enough. Those affected have waited patiently,” the top Senate Democrat said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Uncover the facts. Ensure full disclosure.”
Next Steps
This legislation next goes to the president for his endorsement. Trump indicated on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Even though the president has for an extended period rejected the uproar over the authorities' approach of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the weekend, and said he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Response
Opposition lawmakers, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were present in a House gallery, cheered after the bill was approved. The sole “no” vote came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he feared the measure would reveal identifying details of people, those under scrutiny and others caught up in the investigation.
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