Senate Greenlights Bill to Disclose Epstein Documents
The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday passed without delay to a measure that will require the publication of official records associated with the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a reversal by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House changed course after an extended period of trying to delay the bipartisan effort involving a case that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
The public have endured sufficient delay. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader said in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The bill next heads to the president for his endorsement. Trump stated on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Even though Trump has for months rejected the uproar over the government’s handling of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he voiced approval for the House bill over the weekend, and said he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Support and Opposition
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were seated in a viewing area, cheered after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who expressed concern he feared the measure would make public specific data of individuals involved, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
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