The Senate on this Tuesday gave swift approval to a measure that will mandate the disclosure of official records concerning the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by Donald Trump and his Republican allies. The White House changed course after months of trying to block the bipartisan effort involving a case that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Passage in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by general agreement, which requires approval from each senator but does not require a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House overwhelmingly approved the bill on a massive majority.
Citizens have waited long enough. Those affected have suffered long enough,” the top Senate Democrat said in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before urging the Senate to adopt it by consent. “Let the truth come out. Ensure full disclosure.”
Future Action
The measure next heads to Trump for his signature. He indicated on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Though Trump has for an extended period downplayed the controversy over the official management of the Epstein case as a “political stunt”, he expressed his backing for the measure over the weekend, and announced he would give his assent if it is presented to him.
Support and Opposition
Democrats, along with those affected and their supporters who were present in a House gallery, broke into applause after the bill was approved. The only opposition came from Clay Higgins, who stated he feared the measure would disclose identifying details of witnesses, potential suspects and others caught up in the investigation.
Other Stories
- Trump receives backlash for labeling a female Bloomberg reporter as ‘piggy’ during a confrontation onboard Air Force One.
- Judge disallows ‘racially gerrymandered’ maps in the state of Texas that awarded GOP additional districts.
- A significant number of US education agency’s powers transferred to different agencies as part of White House efforts.
- Large-scale operations expand to Raleigh, with representatives reporting ongoing activities.
