Congress Passes Measure to Disclose Jeffrey Epstein Files
The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will mandate the disclosure of investigative files concerning the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a reversal by the president and his Republican allies. The administration relented after an extended period of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a case that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Congress
Senators proceeded by consensus, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, expediting the process. Hours earlier, the House voted decisively for the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have been patient long enough. Those affected have waited long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Uncover the facts. Allow openness to prevail.”
Future Action
The bill next will be sent to the president for his signature. Trump signaled on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Though Trump has for months dismissed the uproar over the authorities' approach of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he voiced approval for the legislation over the past few days, and announced he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Support and Opposition
The Democratic party, along with victims and their advocates who were seated in a viewing area, cheered after the bill was enacted. The sole “no” vote came from a GOP representative, who expressed concern he worried the measure would make public specific data of people, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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