Senate Approves Legislation to Make Public Epstein Records
The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to a measure that will require the publication of case documents associated with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by the president and his GOP allies. The White House gave in after months of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a case that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by general agreement, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, expediting the process. Earlier that day, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a massive majority.
“The American people have waited long enough. Those affected have suffered long enough,” Chuck Schumer stated in a floor speech on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Reveal the truth. Allow openness to prevail.”
Next Steps
The measure next heads to the president for his endorsement. Trump indicated on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Though the president has for months rejected the uproar over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he expressed his backing for the House bill over the past few days, and said he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Reaction
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were watching from a viewing area, applauded after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he worried the measure would reveal identifying details of people, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
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