The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will force the release of case documents concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. Trump's team gave in after months of trying to forestall the joint action involving a scandal that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by consensus, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Just before, the House voted decisively for the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have waited long enough. The survivors have waited long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
This legislation next will be sent to the president for his signature. He stated on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Though Trump has for months dismissed the uproar over the government’s handling of the investigation as a “political stunt”, he expressed his backing for the measure over the past few days, and stated he would give his assent if it comes to him.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with those affected and their supporters who were seated in a public section, cheered after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who expressed concern he was concerned the measure would reveal specific data of witnesses, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
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