The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will require the publication of investigative files concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a overwhelming vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by the president and his Republican allies. The administration changed course after an extended period of trying to delay the joint action involving a scandal that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Approval in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Just before, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
Citizens have endured sufficient delay. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Reveal the truth. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The measure next heads to Donald Trump for his signature. The president signaled on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Though the president has for an extended period downplayed the controversy over the authorities' approach of the investigation as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the measure over the weekend, and stated he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were seated in a public section, broke into applause after the bill was approved. The sole “no” vote came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he feared the measure would disclose identifying details of people, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
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