The Senate on this Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will mandate the disclosure of case documents related to the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a shift by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. Trump's team gave in after months of trying to block the cross-party initiative involving a controversy that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by consensus, 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 near-unanimous vote.
The public have endured sufficient delay. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat declared in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Uncover the facts. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
The bill next heads to the president for his approval. The president indicated on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Although Trump has for an extended period rejected the controversy over the official management of the Epstein case as a “political stunt”, he voiced approval for the legislation over the past few days, and said he would give his assent if it is presented to him.
Support and Opposition
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their representatives who were watching from a House gallery, applauded after the bill was approved. The sole “no” vote came from a GOP representative, who expressed concern he was concerned the measure would reveal specific data of people, those under scrutiny and others involved in the investigation.
Additional Stories
- The president is under fire for referring to a correspondent as ‘piggy’ during a confrontation aboard Air Force One.
- Judge rejects ‘discriminatory’ maps in the state of Texas that awarded Republicans more districts.
- Many of US education agency’s authorities reassigned to different agencies as part of White House efforts.
- Mass federal immigration sweeps expand to North Carolina capital, with local officials noting ongoing activities.
