Senate Passes Measure to Make Public Epstein Records

The Senate on Tuesday quickly approved to a measure that will mandate the disclosure of case documents related to the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a reversal by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House changed course after an extended period of trying to block the cross-party initiative involving a scandal that has plagued the president since his return to the White House.

Swift Passage in Both Chambers

Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Just before, the House voted decisively for the bill on a 427-1 tally.

“The American people have been patient long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”

Presidential Signature

The measure next heads to Donald Trump for his approval. The president signaled on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.

Though the president has for months rejected the outcry over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “false narrative”, he expressed his backing for the legislation over the past few days, and announced he would give his assent if it comes to him.

Reaction

Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were present in a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who expressed concern he worried the measure would disclose identifying details of individuals involved, those under scrutiny and others caught up in the investigation.

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