The Senate on Wednesday voted down a Democratic proposal to temporarily restore interest rates on federally subsidized student loans that doubled last week, as Republicans and some Democrats pressed for a long-term solution.

A procedural vote on a proposal pushed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., to freeze the interest rate on new federally subsidized Stafford loans for one year at 3.4 percent failed 51-49, falling short of the necessary 60 votes.