Senate gears up for Epstein vote

By Andrew Rice
The Center Square

The U.S. Senate is preparing to vote as soon as late Tuesday on a bill forcing the Department of Justice to release documents associated with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The U.S. House of Representatives, in a 427-1 vote, passed a Epstein Files Transparency Act, requiring the U.S. Attorney General “to release all documents and records in possession of the Department of Justice related to Jeffrey Epstein, and for other purposes.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters he expects the Senate to act “fairly quickly” to advance the bill.

House Speaker Mike Johnson called on the Senate to consider revisions to the bill which would give the attorney general greater authority to redact identifying information of alleged victims and whistleblowers mentioned in the Epstein documents.

“Releasing the names of those innocent people could subject those innocent people to a guilt by association,” Johnson said. “It would create an entirely new group of victims who have no means to clear their names.”

Thune said the 427-1 vote totals makes it unlikely for the Senate to consider any major revisions in the legislation. Thune can order for a unanimous consent vote to pass the bill, which requires agreement from all 100 senators.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called for the bill to be passed “immediately.”

“The House vote is overwhelming, the Senate should move right away and get this done already,” Schumer said.

If the Senate approves the bill without revisions, it will head to President Donald Trump’s desk for a signature. Trump signaled on Monday he would sign the bill if Congress passes the legislation.