The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will mandate the disclosure of official records related to the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by the president and his GOP allies. The administration gave in after months of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a controversy that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Congress
The Senate acted by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Earlier that day, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a 427-1 tally.
Citizens have endured sufficient delay. Those affected have waited patiently,” the top Senate Democrat said in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Reveal the truth. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
The measure next will be sent to the president for his signature. He indicated on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Even though Trump has for months dismissed the outcry over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the weekend, and stated he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Response
Opposition lawmakers, along with those affected and their advocates who were present in a House gallery, applauded after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he worried the measure would make public identifying details of witnesses, those under scrutiny and others involved in the investigation.
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