Congress formally opened a new, public phase of its presidential investigation on Thursday as US lawmakers voted for the first time to advance the impeachment process against US President Donald Trump.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi presided over the US House of Representatives as it voted on the resolution formalizing the impeachment inquiry on President Trump.
“Today, the House takes the next step forward as we establish the procedures for open hearings conducted by the House Intelligence Committee so that the public can see the facts for themselves,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said shortly before the vote.
The chamber voted largely along party lines, 232 to 196, to formalize the process, which also provides for opportunities for Trump’s counsel to cross-examine witnesses.