The Senate on this Tuesday gave swift approval to a bill that will mandate the disclosure of investigative files related to the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a shift by the president and his GOP allies. The White House gave in after an extended period of trying to forestall the bipartisan effort involving a case that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Congress
The Senate acted by consensus, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, accelerating the process. Just before, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a massive majority.
The public have waited long enough. The survivors have waited patiently,” the Senate Democratic leader stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to pass it unanimously. “Uncover the facts. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
The bill next will be sent to Trump for his approval. The president stated on Monday that he would endorse the legislation.
Although Trump has for months dismissed the uproar over the government’s handling of the investigation as a “false narrative”, he voiced approval for the legislation over the weekend, and announced he would give his assent if it is presented to him.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were watching from a public section, broke into applause after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he was concerned the measure would reveal personal information of individuals involved, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
Other Stories
- The president receives backlash for calling a journalist as ‘piggy’ during a confrontation onboard Air Force One.
- Judge disallows ‘racially gerrymandered’ maps in the state of Texas that awarded GOP more districts.
- Many of Department of Education's responsibilities reassigned to other federal departments as part of administration efforts.
- Raids expand to Raleigh, with local officials noting ongoing activities.
