The upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday gave swift approval to legislation that will require the publication of investigative files associated with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a reversal by the president and his Republican allies. Trump's team relented after months of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a recorded vote, accelerating the process. Just before, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a massive majority.
“The American people have endured sufficient delay. The survivors have waited long enough,” the top Senate Democrat declared in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Reveal the truth. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
The measure next heads to the president for his endorsement. Trump stated on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Although the president has for an extended period rejected the uproar over the official management of the Epstein case as a “false narrative”, he expressed his backing for the measure over the weekend, and stated he would approve it if it comes to him.
Support and Opposition
The Democratic party, along with those affected and their representatives who were present in a public section, cheered after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who said he worried the measure would reveal personal information of people, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
Other Headlines
- The president receives backlash for calling a female Bloomberg reporter as ‘piggy’ during a disagreement aboard Air Force One.
- Judge disallows ‘discriminatory’ maps in Texas that awarded GOP extra districts.
- A significant number of US education agency’s authorities moved to other branches as part of administration efforts.
- Mass federal immigration sweeps expand to North Carolina capital, with representatives reporting ongoing activities.
