Senate Approves Bill to Disclose Epstein Records
The Senate on this Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of investigative files associated with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The administration gave in after months of trying to block the cross-party initiative involving a scandal that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Congress
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House voted decisively for the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have been patient long enough. The survivors have waited patiently,” the top Senate Democrat stated in a floor speech on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Reveal the truth. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The bill next heads to Trump for his endorsement. The president stated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Though Trump has for an extended period rejected the controversy over the official management of the investigation as a “political stunt”, he voiced approval for the measure over the past few days, and said he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Response
Opposition lawmakers, along with victims and their advocates who were present in a public section, applauded after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he feared the measure would disclose identifying details of people, potential suspects and others implicated in the investigation.
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