The Senate on this Tuesday passed without delay to a measure that will force the release of official records associated with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a near-unanimous vote in the House of Representatives and a change of position by Donald Trump and his GOP allies. The administration relented after an extended period of trying to delay the bipartisan effort involving a scandal that has followed the president since his comeback to the White House.
Swift Approval in Congress
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but avoids a formal roll call vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a near-unanimous vote.
The public have been patient long enough. Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have waited patiently,” the top Senate Democrat declared in a Senate remarks on Tuesday, before asking the Senate to approve it without opposition. “Reveal the truth. Ensure full disclosure.”
Next Steps
The bill next heads to the president for his approval. Trump signaled on the previous day that he would sign the measure.
Although Trump has for an extended period rejected the outcry over the authorities' approach of the scandal as a “political stunt”, he expressed his backing for the measure over the past few days, and said he would approve it if it comes to him.
Reaction
The Democratic party, along with victims and their representatives who were watching from a House gallery, broke into applause after the bill was approved. Lone dissent came from Clay Higgins, who said he worried the measure would make public specific data of individuals involved, persons of interest and others involved in the investigation.
Other News Updates
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- Large-scale operations extend to Raleigh, with local officials noting ongoing activities.
