The upper chamber of Congress on this Tuesday quickly approved to a measure that will require the publication of case documents associated with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives and a shift by the president and his GOP allies. The White House changed course after months of trying to delay the joint action involving a case that has dogged the president since his return to the White House.
Expedited Approval in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance 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.
“The American people have waited long enough. Those affected have waited patiently,” Chuck Schumer declared in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before urging the chamber to approve it without opposition. “Reveal the truth. Allow openness to prevail.”
Presidential Signature
The bill next will be sent to the president for his signature. The president indicated on Monday that he would approve the bill.
Though Trump has for an extended period rejected the uproar over the government’s handling of the investigation as a “political stunt”, he signalled his support for the legislation over the past few days, and stated he would approve it if it comes to him.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with those affected and their advocates who were present in a House gallery, broke into applause after the bill was passed. Lone dissent came from a Louisiana Republican, who stated he feared the measure would make public personal information of people, potential suspects and others caught up in the investigation.
Additional News Updates
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- Large-scale operations extend to Raleigh, with representatives confirming ongoing activities.
