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The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday quickly approved to a measure that will force the release of case documents associated with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a overwhelming vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by the president and his GOP allies. Trump's team changed course after months of trying to forestall the cross-party initiative involving a case that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.

Swift Approval in Congress

Senators proceeded by general agreement, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Just before, the House voted decisively for the bill on a near-unanimous vote.

“The American people have endured sufficient delay. Those affected have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Let the truth come out. Allow openness to prevail.”

Presidential Signature

The bill next heads to Trump for his approval. He stated on Monday that he would sign the measure.

Though the president has for months rejected the outcry over the government’s handling of the scandal as a “Democrat hoax”, he voiced approval for the measure over the weekend, and announced he would approve it if it is presented to him.

Reaction

Opposition lawmakers, along with victims and their representatives who were present in a public section, cheered after the bill was enacted. Lone dissent came from Clay Higgins, who expressed concern he worried the measure would make public personal information of people, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.

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