Senate Passes Legislation to Release Epstein Documents
The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday passed without delay to legislation that will force the release of official records associated with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The White House gave in after months of trying to delay the bipartisan effort involving a case that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Just before, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a massive majority.
Citizens have been patient long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited patiently,” the top Senate Democrat declared in a floor speech on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Uncover the facts. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
The measure next heads to the president for his endorsement. He stated on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Although Trump has for an extended period downplayed the uproar over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “political stunt”, he signalled his support for the House bill over the weekend, and stated he would give his assent if it comes to him.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with victims and their representatives who were watching from a House gallery, applauded after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who said he worried the measure would reveal identifying details of individuals involved, those under scrutiny and others caught up in the investigation.
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