The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to a measure that will mandate the disclosure of case documents concerning the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a reversal by the president and his Republican allies. Trump's team gave in after an extended period of trying to delay the joint action involving a scandal that has plagued the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Approval in Congress
Senators proceeded by unanimous consent, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, accelerating the process. Earlier that day, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
The public have waited long enough. The survivors have suffered long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader declared in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before asking the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Allow openness to prevail.”
Next Steps
This legislation next will be sent to the president for his signature. The president stated on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Although the president has for months dismissed the uproar over the official management of the investigation as a “Democrat hoax”, he voiced approval for the legislation over the past few days, and announced he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Reaction
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were seated in a viewing area, broke into applause after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who expressed concern he worried the measure would disclose personal information of witnesses, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
Additional Stories
- The president faces criticism for calling a female Bloomberg reporter as ‘piggy’ during a disagreement aboard Air Force One.
- Judge blocks ‘discriminatory’ maps in Texas that gave Republicans additional districts.
- A significant number of Department of Education's powers transferred to different agencies as part of administration efforts.
- Large-scale operations expand to Raleigh, with local officials reporting ongoing activities.
