🔗 Share this article Congress Passes Legislation to Release Jeffrey Epstein Documents The Senate on Tuesday gave swift approval to a measure that will mandate the disclosure of investigative files associated with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The White House gave in after months of trying to forestall the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has followed the president since his return to the White House. Swift Passage in Congress Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Earlier that day, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a near-unanimous vote. “The American people have been patient long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat declared in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.” Presidential Signature This legislation next heads to the president for his endorsement. Trump signaled on Monday that he would endorse the legislation. Although Trump has for an extended period rejected the controversy over the government’s handling of the investigation as a “Democrat hoax”, he expressed his backing for the legislation over the past few days, and said he would approve it if it comes to him. Support and Opposition Democrats, along with those affected and their advocates who were present in a viewing area, applauded after the bill was passed. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he was concerned the measure would reveal specific data of people, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation. Other Headlines Trump faces criticism for calling a journalist as ‘piggy’ during a disagreement onboard Air Force One. Judge rejects ‘discriminatory’ maps in Texas that awarded GOP extra districts. A significant number of US education agency’s responsibilities transferred to different agencies as part of White House efforts. Large-scale operations move to the state's capital, with local officials confirming ongoing activities.