A House committee has approved releasing former President Donald Trump's tax returns after a multi-year battle.

The House Ways and Means Committee voted Tuesday to support the move in a 24-16 decision.

House panel votes to release @realDonaldTrump's tax returns after multiyear Democratic quest https://t.co/YRwUnIOEcI

— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) December 21, 2022

The situation

"Democrats have been using the legal system to try to obtain the returns for more than three years. Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) had requested the documents under a law that provides the Ways and Means Committee with the authority to obtain taxpayer records," the Washington Examiner reported.

"Trump sought to block the request, but lower courts affirmed that the committee has broad authority to request tax returns," it added.

BREAKING: A Democratic-controlled House committee voted along party lines to publicly release a report on Donald Trump’s tax returns, which the former president has long tried to shield. https://t.co/QfIWHcWRWd

— The Associated Press (@AP) December 21, 2022

The report

"The 29-page report was published just hours after the committee voted along party lines to release Trump’s tax returns in the coming days, raising the potential of additional revelations related to the finances of the onetime businessman who broke political norms by refusing to voluntarily release his returns as he sought the presidency," the Associated Press reported.

" The vote was the culmination of a yearslong fight between Trump and Democrats that has played out everywhere from the campaign trail to the halls of Congress and the Supreme Court," it added.

FULL TEXT: Read Congress' reports on former President Trump's tax returns. https://t.co/RV346Yu1jh

— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 21, 2022

Texas Rep. Kevin Brady, the top Republican on the committee, objected to the decision.

"Dangerous new political weapon"

“Over our objections in opposition, Democrats in the Ways and Means Committee have unleashed a dangerous new political weapon that overturns decades of privacy protections,” he told reporters.

“The era of political targeting, and of Congress’s enemies list, is back and every American, every American taxpayer, who may get on the wrong side of the majority in Congress is now at risk," he added, according to the AP.

The files will now be reviewed regarding any decisions that Democrats seek to push before the House turns to Republican power in January. Any major actions will likely occur before the next Congress takes over next month.

With strong opinions on both sides of the heated debate, it's likely to remain a major headline for days to come as Democrats seek to discredit Trump as he moves forward in his 2024 White House comeback bid.