The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will mandate the disclosure of investigative files related to the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a overwhelming vote in the lower house and a reversal 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 scandal that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by consensus, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Earlier that day, the House voted decisively for the bill on a 427-1 tally.
The public have waited long enough. The survivors have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer stated in a floor speech on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Reveal the truth. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
The measure next goes to Donald Trump for his approval. The president indicated on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Though the president has for months dismissed the outcry over the official management of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the weekend, and announced he would sign the measure if it is presented to him.
Support and Opposition
Opposition lawmakers, along with those affected and their advocates who were seated in a House gallery, broke into applause after the bill was enacted. Lone dissent came from Clay Higgins, who expressed concern he worried the measure would reveal specific data of witnesses, potential suspects and others involved in the investigation.
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