Senate Approves Measure to Disclose Epstein Files
The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will require the publication of case documents related to the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a change of position by the president and his GOP allies. Trump's team gave in after months of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a controversy that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Passage in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, expediting the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. The survivors have suffered long enough,” Chuck Schumer stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The measure next heads to Trump for his endorsement. He indicated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Even though Trump has for months dismissed the outcry over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “political stunt”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the past few days, and announced he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Response
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were present in a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was enacted. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he worried the measure would make public identifying details of people, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
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