Senate Greenlights Legislation to Disclose Jeffrey Epstein Files
The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will force the release of investigative files concerning the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a overwhelming vote in the lower house and a change of position by the president and his Republican allies. Trump's team relented after months of trying to block the joint action involving a controversy that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Just before, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. Those affected have waited patiently,” Chuck Schumer said in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before requesting the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
The measure next will be sent to Donald Trump for his signature. The president indicated on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Although the president has for an extended period rejected the uproar over the official management of the investigation as a “false narrative”, he voiced approval for the House bill over the past few days, and announced he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Response
Opposition lawmakers, along with victims and their supporters who were seated in a House gallery, broke into applause after the bill was passed. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who expressed concern he worried the measure would reveal identifying details of individuals involved, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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