The Senate on Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will force the release of case documents concerning the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a overwhelming vote in the House of Representatives and a reversal by the president and his Republican allies. The White House gave in after an extended period of trying to delay the bipartisan effort involving a case that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Congress
The Senate acted by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. Those affected have waited long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader declared in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Next Steps
This legislation next will be sent to the president for his approval. He signaled on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Though the president has for an extended period downplayed the uproar over the official management of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he signalled his support for the measure over the past few days, and announced he would approve it if it comes to him.
Response
Opposition lawmakers, along with victims and their supporters who were watching from a public section, broke into applause after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he worried the measure would reveal specific data of individuals involved, potential suspects and others involved in the investigation.
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