The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will require the publication of case documents concerning the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a overwhelming vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. Trump's team changed course after months of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a case that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Approval in Congress
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a formal roll call vote, expediting the process. Hours earlier, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
The public have been patient long enough. The survivors have waited long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Uncover the facts. Let transparency reign.”
Next Steps
This legislation next goes to Trump for his signature. He signaled on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Though the president has for months rejected the controversy over the official management of the Epstein case as a “false narrative”, he expressed his backing for the House bill over the weekend, and announced he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Response
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were watching from a viewing area, applauded after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he worried the measure would make public specific data of witnesses, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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