Congress Greenlights Legislation to Disclose Epstein Documents
The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will force the release of official records concerning the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a reversal by the president and his GOP allies. Trump's team gave in after an extended period of trying to forestall the bipartisan effort involving a case that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Congress
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
“The American people have waited long enough. Those affected have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader stated in a floor speech on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Uncover the facts. Let transparency reign.”
Next Steps
The measure next heads to Donald Trump for his signature. He indicated on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Although Trump has for months dismissed the outcry over the government’s handling of the investigation as a “political stunt”, he signalled his support for the measure over the weekend, and said he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Response
The Democratic party, along with those affected and their supporters who were watching from a public section, applauded after the bill was approved. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he feared the measure would make public identifying details of individuals involved, potential suspects and others caught up in the investigation.
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