Senate Approves Bill to Make Public Jeffrey Epstein Files
The Senate on this Tuesday quickly approved to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of official records associated with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a reversal by the president and his Republican allies. The White House changed course after months of trying to delay the cross-party initiative involving a controversy that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Congress
Senators proceeded by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Earlier that day, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a massive majority.
“The American people have waited long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Uncover the facts. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The bill next goes to the president for his approval. He indicated on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Though the president has for an extended period dismissed the uproar over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “political stunt”, he voiced approval for the House bill over the past few days, and said he would sign the measure if it comes to him.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with those affected and their advocates who were present in a House gallery, broke into applause after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who expressed concern he worried the measure would reveal identifying details of witnesses, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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