Senate Republicans narrowly blocked a Democratic effort on Wednesday to mandate the public release of all Justice Department files related to the sex trafficking investigation of the late Jeffrey Epstein. The 51-49 vote fell largely along party lines, with Republican Senators Josh Hawley of Missouri and Rand Paul of Kentucky joining Democrats in support of the measure.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer introduced the amendment as a surprise procedural move, attaching it to the annual National Defense Authorization Act. The proposal echoed bipartisan efforts in the House and sought to require the Justice Department to make all Epstein-related files publicly available within 30 days.

The GOP-led Senate voted to “table”—or set aside—the amendment, with Majority Leader John Thune and other Republicans labeling Schumer’s move a political tactic. Hawley, breaking with most Republicans, argued for transparency: “I think we ought to release those files and trust the American people, just like we did with the MLK files and the JFK files,” he told reporters.

Schumer accused Republicans of hypocrisy, stating that, after years of demanding accountability and transparency, their refusal to support the amendment runs counter to their prior positions. He invoked strong public demand for answers, referencing “deception, obfuscation, and cover-ups” in the ongoing Epstein saga.

While the Senate may have rebuffed the latest attempt to force disclosure, the issue remains alive in the House, where a bipartisan discharge petition led by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) is nearing the threshold needed to force a floor vote on similar legislation.