Congress Approves Bill to Release Epstein Documents

The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday passed without delay to a measure that will force the release of official records associated with the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a shift by the president and his Republican allies. The administration relented after an extended period of trying to forestall the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.

Expedited Passage in Both Chambers

The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, expediting the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.

“The American people have been patient long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Let the truth come out. Allow openness to prevail.”

Future Action

This legislation next heads to the president for his endorsement. The president stated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.

Although Trump has for an extended period dismissed the uproar over the government’s handling of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the weekend, and announced he would give his assent if it is presented to him.

Support and Opposition

Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were seated in a public section, applauded after the bill was approved. Lone dissent came from Clay Higgins, who expressed concern he worried the measure would make public identifying details of individuals involved, those under scrutiny and others caught up in the investigation.

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