Congress Passes Bill to Disclose Jeffrey Epstein Documents
The Senate on Tuesday passed without delay to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of official records related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House gave in after an extended period of trying to forestall the cross-party initiative involving a scandal that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, expediting the process. Earlier that day, the House voted decisively for the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
“The American people have waited long enough. Those affected have waited long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Uncover the facts. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
The bill next goes to the president for his endorsement. Trump signaled on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Although the president has for an extended period dismissed the uproar over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “Democrat hoax”, he expressed his backing for the measure over the weekend, and announced he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Response
Opposition lawmakers, along with those affected and their advocates who were watching from a public section, cheered after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who said he feared the measure would make public specific data of people, potential suspects and others involved in the investigation.
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