Senate approves Epstein files bill, sending it to Trump’s desk
The legislation cleared the Senate by unanimous consent, with no debate.
11/18/2025 2:44 PM EST|Updated: 11/18/2025 5:35 PM EST
The Senate moved swiftly to approve legislation Tuesday forcing the Justice Department to release more information about the case it built against the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — acting hours after an overwhelming House vote to send the bill to the desk of President Donald Trump, who spent months trying to kill it.
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which requires signoff from every senator but does not require them to take a roll call vote. Earlier in the day, the House passed the bill on a 427-1 vote.
“This is about giving the American people the transparency they’ve been crying for,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said before asking for the bill’s approval. “Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited long enough.”
Tuesday’s votes caps off a months of drama among congressional Republicans and the White House over how to handle the Epstein files, pitting GOP lawmakers between Trump and their own base.
