For now, the site is vowing to fight on.

"Breitbart News is unequivocally entitled to permanent Senate Press Gallery credentials and is determined to secure them,” Breitbart spokesman Chad Wilkinson said in a statement on Tuesday.

The last time the committee met to consider Breitbart’s application, the outstanding issues included concerns about Breitbart’s office space—until recently, a Capitol Hill rowhouse owned by an Egyptian politician which is not zoned for office use—its connections to the Mercer family, which has invested in the news site, and its relationship with White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, who led the outlet as executive chairman before going to work for President Trump.

Breitbart News CEO Larry Solov sent two letters to the committee which were considered on Tuesday morning. In one, dated April 18, Solov promises that Rebekah Mercer “has no editorial control at Breitbart News Network” and that Breitbart and the Government Accountability Institute, another Mercer-connected group that has or has had ties to some Breitbart staffers, “are separate and independent companies, with separate and different boards and management. They have no editorial control over each other.”

In the other letter, dated April 24, Solov asserts that “none of the individual applicants for membership pursuant to a BNN Senate Press Gallery credential do work, or while credentialed will be working, for GAI, Liberty First Institute and/or the US border patrol unions.”

“Without limitation, is it the Standing Committee’s position that a news organization cannot be credentialed if it employs any editor and/or reporter who is also employed by or affiliated with any advocacy group or non-profit?” Solov wrote. “Of course, we respectfully assert that any such rules, standards and/or criteria must be reasonable and realistic, and transparent – and applied equally and fairly to all news organizations.”

Neither of Solov’s letters address the office issue. Breitbart is reportedly seeking office space in downtown Washington.

The committee’s decision to table Breitbart’s application and not extend its temporary pass means that, barring any change, Breitbart will lose its credentials to access Capitol Hill after May 31. Not having permanent congressional press credentials also affects Breitbart’s ability to cover the Supreme Court, join the White House Correspondents Association, or participate in pool coverage.

The decision is a blow to Breitbart’s attempts to be taken seriously as a news outlet. The site was one of the most vociferous pro-Trump voices in the conservative media sphere during the election, and it has achieved greater prominence since Trump’s election and ascension to the presidency. It has made moves to become more accepted by the political establishment, hiring reporters from mainstream outlets like The Hill and The Wall Street Journal.