Senate Republicans have barely defeated an effort by Democrats to insert language into Congress’ annual defense authorization bill that would have forced the public release of case files on the sex trafficking investigation into the late Jeffrey Epstein.

Democratic leader Chuck Schumer decries “coverups,” while GOP leader John Thune calls the measure a political stunt.

Earlier Wednesday, Schumer took a rare procedural step to tee up the Senate to vote on his amendment that would have required the release of Epstein documents ahead of a final vote on a must-pass defense spending bill.

The quasi-resolution of Pennsylvania's transit funding conundrum has not yet produced tangible results for the overall puzzle of the state's ten-week-late budget.