As September 2025 draws to a close, Washington is bracing for a dramatic showdown on two fronts: the looming threat of a government shutdown over partisan budget fights, and a bipartisan push in Congress to force the unsanitized release of Justice Department files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender whose network of powerful acquaintances continues to cast a long shadow over American politics.
On Capitol Hill, House Democrats are pinning their hopes on Senate Democratic leadership to block any government spending bill crafted solely by Republicans. The stakes are high, with the government shutdown deadline set for the end of the month. Memories are still fresh from March, when Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and a handful of Senate Democrats joined Republicans to pass a GOP spending bill, a move that left House Democrats both furious and frustrated.
“The world has literally changed since that occurred,” Rep. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.) told Nexstar Media Inc., reflecting a widespread sentiment among House Democrats that the political landscape is now drastically different. “He made a calculated risk and it did not turn out well. I don’t think he’ll make that mistake twice.”
Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) echoed that optimism, insisting that the American public has sent a clear message: “The American people have expressed themselves clearly and loudly that they want us to fight back at all levels. And if, in fact, we engage in a shutdown, it would be a Republican shutdown, because they’re the ones that are making it difficult for anybody to reach an agreement with these egregious cuts.”
Yet, not everyone is convinced the Senate won’t cave again. Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Calif.) voiced a note of caution, saying, “We’re not going to vote for a bad budget, we’re just not going to do it. We’ll hold the line here and, of course, we’re afraid that once again the Senate will cave. It’s unfortunate, but I think that’s what the reality is.”
Senator Schumer, for his part, appears well aware of the pressure. He’s been vocal in reassuring his party’s skeptics, warning that a Republican funding bill without Democratic input would only heighten the odds of a shutdown. “The only way to avoid a shutdown is to work in a bipartisan way, with a bill that can get both Republican and Democratic votes in the Senate,” Schumer wrote in a letter to fellow Democrats. The Senate filibuster rules mean Republicans need to win over at least some Democrats to pass any spending bill—if Schumer chooses to use that leverage.
“We Democrats want a bipartisan bill, and we are pushing the Republicans very hard to do it. We’re on our front foot, we’re unified, we’re strong on health care. They’re all divided and fighting with each other,” Schumer told reporters. “It’s much different than last time. People now know … how bad Trump is.”
The bitterness between the parties has only deepened, with former President Trump’s repeated attempts to claw back funds already allocated by Congress fueling Democratic distrust. As Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) put it, “They’re completely uninterested in giving Democrats anything, … which is why Democrats are wildly naive to think that if we go along with them it’s going to somehow be better. It won’t be. They’re just going to do it on their terms without us, and anything we do to help them will just be used against us.”
Huffman pointed to the GOP’s push for rescissions since March as validation for the opposition from House Democrats back then—insisting that the odds are higher now that House and Senate Democrats will stand together. “That was a hot stove that he touched,” Huffman said of Schumer. “I’ve got to believe that all Democrats—including Chuck Schumer—understand whatever wishfulness led them to think that that could produce a better outcome, the Republicans have just burned it all to the ground.”
Adding fuel to the fire is the question of health care. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits adopted in 2021 and extended through 2025 are set to expire, and Democrats are adamant that the next spending package must include another extension. Failure to do so, they warn, will lead to insurance losses and premium increases for millions. “If we don’t address that in this budget in this coming month, that means people will lose their health insurance, everybody’s health insurance premiums are going to go up. And that to me is a red line,” Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.) declared. “It’s something we have to deal with, and we cannot let the Republicans gut the health care system under the guise of continuing to fund the government.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has also drawn a hard line: “We will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that guts health care from the American people. Period, full stop.”
Even those most wary of Schumer’s resolve admit that the backlash he faced for his March decision to support a GOP bill was so intense that he’s unlikely to repeat it. “He got so much push back, and really people were so angry with him, that this time I think he’s really going to think twice about caving,” said Vargas. “He got beat up badly, not only here but also across the country, by Democrats who wanted to see a fight. We were ready for a fight, and instead he waved the white flag very quickly. And we don’t want to see that white flag. We want to see a fight.”
While the budget battle rages, another storm is brewing over the Justice Department’s files on Jeffrey Epstein. On September 7, Representatives Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) voiced confidence that they have the votes in the House to force the release of the unsanitized files. “We have the votes,” Khanna said on ABC News’ “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.” Massie added, “I think we’re going to get a resounding vote on this.”
The push comes after the Justice Department announced in July that it had not uncovered a list of Epstein clients and had no plans for further disclosures—a move that quickly became a political lightning rod. Some worry that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) might try to block the legislation, or that the Justice Department could redact information to protect political allies. “I think (Thune is) going to be under more pressure than he realizes,” Massie said. “He should do the right thing.”
Khanna noted that government officials and at least one attorney for Epstein accusers have already seen the files, making it more difficult for the Justice Department to scrub the documents. The issue is particularly sensitive because Attorney General Pam Bondi reportedly told former President Trump in the spring that he is named in the files. Epstein, who maintained relationships with many wealthy and powerful people—including Trump and former President Bill Clinton—has been the subject of speculation for years. Of course, being named in the files or having associated with Epstein does not imply wrongdoing.
The call for transparency has become a rallying cry, with both parties eager to show they’re not afraid of what the files might reveal. The debate over how much of Epstein’s shadowy web will be exposed, and whether political interests will trump transparency, is only intensifying as the vote approaches.
As Congress faces both a budget crisis and demands for accountability in the Epstein case, the coming weeks promise high drama. The outcomes will not only shape government operations and health care for millions, but may also shed new light on one of the most controversial criminal investigations of the century.