The Senate moved quickly on Tuesday to approve a bill requiring the release of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The decision marked a sharp departure from the chamber’s usual slow pace, as mounting pressure pushed congressional Republicans to act.
The House had already passed the bill, and senators gave unanimous consent to send it to President Trump’s desk. Just a week ago, such rapid action seemed impossible. The sudden momentum followed Trump’s weekend endorsement of the measure, catching lawmakers by surprise.
“It happens slowly, and then all of a sudden,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), describing the shift in GOP sentiment. He noted a mix of embarrassment and urgency among Republicans over public perception.
The issue had challenged GOP leaders for months. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) tried to prevent a discharge petition from forcing the bill to the floor. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) remained largely silent on how the chamber would handle the legislation if it arrived.
The discharge petition succeeded last week with support from four Republicans. Trump’s reversal over the weekend encouraged House Republicans to back the bill, which passed overwhelmingly, 427-1.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) then requested unanimous consent to move the bill to the president, and no Republican objected. Schumer praised the effort, noting that persistent Democratic advocacy made the measure possible.
Senate Republicans expressed support for passing the bill quickly, eager to move on from the government shutdown and focus on their pre-Christmas legislative agenda. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.) said, “Nothing moves this fast. Once the president said, ‘Let ‘her rip,’ I think we were all like, yeah, let’s do this.”
Lawmakers acknowledged that Trump’s weekend about-face surprised many in Congress. Before supporting the bill, he had tried to influence certain House Republicans, including Rep. Lauren Boebert (Colo.), who was among four GOP members supporting the discharge petition alongside Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nancy Mace, and Thomas Massie.
Discussions arose over whether edits were needed to protect the identities of some Epstein victims. Ultimately, GOP leaders decided against changes, allowing Schumer’s unanimous consent request to proceed. Sen. Thune said that with the House vote at 427-1 and the president’s support, amending the bill was unlikely.
While the Senate’s swift action clears the way for Trump’s expected signature, key questions remain about the Department of Justice’s release of the files. Redactions and the scope of information disclosed could shape the next phase of debate.
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) noted that Democrats expect challenges with the DOJ and that discussions on transparency are ongoing. Observers say the release could spark further scrutiny over Epstein’s activities and associated parties.
The Senate’s action reflects rare bipartisan agreement under public and presidential pressure, moving the long-delayed issue closer to resolution.
