The Senate on this Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will require the publication of official records concerning the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a overwhelming vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by the president and his GOP allies. The administration relented after an extended period of trying to delay the joint action involving a controversy that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, expediting the process. Hours earlier, the House voted decisively for the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
Citizens have been patient long enough. The survivors have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer said in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Uncover the facts. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The bill next goes to Trump for his signature. He signaled on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Though the president has for an extended period rejected the outcry over the official management of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he expressed his backing for the House bill over the past few days, and announced he would give his assent if it reaches his desk.
Support and Opposition
Opposition lawmakers, along with victims and their advocates who were seated in a public section, broke into applause after the bill was approved. Lone dissent came from a GOP representative, who expressed concern he worried the measure would reveal specific data of witnesses, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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