The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will mandate the disclosure of case documents concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a almost unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a reversal by the president and his GOP allies. Trump's team relented after an extended period of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Congress
Senators proceeded by consensus, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, accelerating the process. Earlier that day, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
Citizens have endured sufficient delay. Those affected have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat stated in a floor speech on Tuesday, before requesting the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Ensure full disclosure.”
Presidential Signature
The measure next heads to Donald Trump for his endorsement. He signaled on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Although Trump has for months rejected the controversy over the official management of the investigation as a “Democrat hoax”, he expressed his backing for the legislation over the past few days, and announced he would sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
Support and Opposition
Opposition lawmakers, along with victims and their supporters who were seated in a public section, broke into applause after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he feared the measure would make public specific data of individuals involved, those under scrutiny and others involved in the investigation.
Additional Headlines
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- Judge rejects ‘racially gerrymandered’ maps in Texas that gave GOP additional districts.
- A significant number of US education agency’s powers transferred to other branches as part of administration efforts.
- Raids move to North Carolina capital, with authorities reporting ongoing activities.
