The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will require the publication of investigative files concerning the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a change of position by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. Trump's team gave in after an extended period of trying to forestall the cross-party initiative involving a controversy that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Approval in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, expediting the process. Earlier that day, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a massive majority.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. Those affected have waited long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Reveal the truth. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
The bill next goes to Donald Trump for his endorsement. The president indicated on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Although Trump has for an extended period rejected the uproar over the official management of the investigation as a “political stunt”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the weekend, and said he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Response
Democrats, along with victims and their advocates who were watching from a public section, broke into applause after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who stated he worried the measure would reveal identifying details of people, those under scrutiny and others caught up in the investigation.
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