The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will force the release of case documents associated with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by the president and his GOP allies. The White House relented after months of trying to forestall the cross-party initiative involving a controversy that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by general agreement, which requires approval 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.
The public have waited long enough. Those affected have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Uncover the facts. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
The measure next will be sent to the president for his signature. He indicated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Even though Trump has for months downplayed the uproar over the authorities' approach of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the weekend, and stated he would give his assent if it is presented to him.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with victims and their supporters who were watching from a public section, cheered after the bill was approved. Lone dissent came from Clay Higgins, who said he was concerned the measure would disclose personal information of individuals involved, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
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