Senate Passes Legislation to Disclose Jeffrey Epstein Records
The Senate on Tuesday quickly approved to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of official records concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by the president and his Republican allies. The White House gave in after months of trying to delay the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House voted decisively for the bill on a massive majority.
The public have endured sufficient delay. The survivors have waited patiently,” the top Senate Democrat said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Let the truth come out. Allow openness to prevail.”
Next Steps
The bill next heads to the president for his signature. He signaled on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Even though Trump has for months rejected the outcry over the government’s handling of the investigation as a “Democrat hoax”, he expressed his backing for the legislation over the past few days, and said he would give his assent if it comes to him.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with victims and their supporters who were seated in a House gallery, broke into applause after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he was concerned the measure would make public personal information of witnesses, potential suspects and others implicated in the investigation.
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