The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday passed without delay to a measure that will force the release of case documents concerning the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a reversal by the president and his Republican allies. The White House changed course after months of trying to block the joint action involving a controversy that has followed the president since his return to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Congress
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House voted decisively for the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
Citizens have been patient long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before asking the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Let the truth come out. Let transparency reign.”
Presidential Signature
The bill next goes to the president for his signature. The president indicated on the previous day that he would endorse the legislation.
Although the president has for an extended period dismissed the outcry over the official management of the scandal as a “false narrative”, he voiced approval for the legislation over the weekend, and said he would sign the measure if it is presented to him.
Response
Democrats, along with those affected and their representatives who were seated in a viewing area, cheered after the bill was passed. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who stated he worried the measure would reveal specific data of individuals involved, those under scrutiny and others involved in the investigation.
Other Headlines
- The president receives backlash for labeling a female Bloomberg reporter as ‘piggy’ during a disagreement aboard Air Force One.
- Federal judge rejects ‘racially gerrymandered’ maps in the state of Texas that gave GOP extra districts.
- A significant number of US education agency’s authorities transferred to other federal departments as part of administration efforts.
- Large-scale operations move to Raleigh, with representatives noting ongoing activities.
