The Senate on Tuesday passed without delay to legislation that will mandate the disclosure of official records concerning the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, following a overwhelming vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by the president and his GOP allies. Trump's team changed course after an extended period of trying to block the cross-party initiative involving a case that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Passage in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a individual voting process, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
Citizens have endured sufficient delay. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited long enough,” Chuck Schumer said in a floor speech on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Reveal the truth. Ensure full disclosure.”
Presidential Signature
The measure next goes to the president for his approval. The president indicated on the previous day that he would approve the bill.
Although the president has for an extended period rejected the uproar over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the past few days, and announced he would approve it if it is presented to him.
Response
Democrats, along with survivors of Epstein and their advocates who were present in a House gallery, broke into applause after the bill was approved. The sole “no” vote came from a GOP representative, who stated he feared the measure would disclose identifying details of witnesses, persons of interest and others caught up in the investigation.
Additional Stories
- Trump faces criticism for referring to a journalist as ‘piggy’ during a clash onboard Air Force One.
- Federal judge blocks ‘discriminatory’ maps in the state of Texas that awarded Republicans extra districts.
- Many of US education agency’s powers transferred to different agencies as part of administration efforts.
- Large-scale operations expand to Raleigh, with representatives reporting ongoing activities.
