The Senate moved swiftly on Tuesday to approve legislation that would force the release of investigative files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, hours after a near-unanimous vote in the House. The chamber unanimously agreed to pass the measure as soon as it arrived from the House, which had overwhelmingly approved the bill earlier in a 427-1 tally. Once the legislation is forwarded to the Senate, it will be automatically approved for the president's signature.
The bill's support in both chambers represents a rare moment of bipartisan agreement, and culminates a months-long effort by Donald Trump. The Epstein case returned dramatically to the public eye in July when the Justice Department and FBI released a memo stating they had nothing further to disclose about the investigation, contradicting earlier administration statements that more information would be released.
The Epstein scandal remains a core issue for a swathe of Trump's rightwing base, some of whom believe in conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein and his circle of powerful friends. Unlike many other issues, the Epstein files have prompted rebellions from Trump's supporters, making the bill a priority for the White House.
