The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will force the release of investigative files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The administration gave in after an extended period of trying to forestall the bipartisan effort involving a controversy that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Swift Approval in Both Chambers
Senators proceeded by consensus, which requires approval from each senator but avoids a formal roll call vote, accelerating the process. Just before, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
The public have endured sufficient delay. The survivors have waited patiently,” Chuck Schumer declared in a floor speech on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to adopt it by consent. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Future Action
The bill next heads to the president for his signature. Trump stated on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Even though Trump has for an extended period dismissed the controversy over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “political stunt”, he expressed his backing for the measure over the weekend, and stated he would approve it if it reaches his desk.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with victims and their supporters who were present in a viewing area, applauded after the bill was enacted. Lone dissent came from a GOP representative, who stated he feared the measure would make public personal information of witnesses, potential suspects and others caught up in the investigation.
Other Stories
- Trump is under fire for referring to a correspondent as ‘piggy’ during a disagreement onboard Air Force One.
- Federal judge disallows ‘racially gerrymandered’ maps in Texas that gave GOP extra districts.
- A significant number of US education agency’s powers reassigned to different agencies as part of White House efforts.
- Mass federal immigration sweeps move to the state's capital, with representatives noting ongoing activities.
