The bill permits the Justice Department to withhold records tied to ongoing investigations
The Senate unanimously passed a bill yesterday ordering the Justice Department to release all files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Epstein died in jail in 2019.
The legislation, which already cleared the House with near-unanimous support, now heads to President Donald Trump, who has signaled that he will sign it.
Lawmakers fas t-tracked the bill using unanimous consent, meaning all 100 senators agreed. The move came after Trump reversed his earlier opposition this week and backed the measure, helping Republicans rally behind it.
However, the files may not be released soon. The bill permits the DOJ to withhold records tied to ongoing investigations.
Trump recently directed the DOJ to probe Epstein’s ties to influential figures, including former President Bill Clinton and financial officials at JPMorgan Chase. The department could delay disclosure if it argues that releasing documents would affect the inquiry.