The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to a measure that will mandate the disclosure of official records associated with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. Trump's team changed course after an extended period of trying to block the cross-party initiative involving a case that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Congress
Senators proceeded by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Just before, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
The public have been patient long enough. The survivors have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Reveal the truth. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
This legislation next goes to the president for his signature. Trump indicated on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Even though the president has for an extended period downplayed the controversy over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the weekend, and said he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with those affected and their representatives who were seated in a viewing area, cheered after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who expressed concern he worried the measure would disclose specific data of individuals involved, those under scrutiny and others implicated in the investigation.
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