Legislation next goes to Trump who indicated he would sign bill after he and his allies backed down from opposition

The Senate on Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will force the release of investigative files related to the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a reversal by Donald Trump and his Republican allies who relented after months of trying to forestall the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.

The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, expediting the process. Hours earlier, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a 427-1 tally. Once the legislation is forwarded to the Senate, it will be automatically approved.