Lawmakers Face Shutdown Deadline Amid Epstein Files, CDC Turmoil, and Trump Legal Setbacks

Lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill Monday with just two weeks to prevent a government shutdown, facing mounting political and legal battles that stretch across multiple fronts.

One of the most high-profile issues involves the Jeffrey Epstein files. Survivors of the convicted sex offender met with members of Congress as Republican Rep. Thomas Massey and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna introduced a motion urging House Speaker Mike Johnson to force a vote compelling the Department of Justice to release all related documents. Khanna framed the move as a test of whether Republicans are serious about accountability or merely following partisan lines.

Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is facing turmoil after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ousted agency leader Susan Menendez less than a month after her confirmation. The decision prompted four top CDC officials to resign in protest, citing grave concerns for public health. Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, is expected to testify on Capitol Hill this week, as President Trump has challenged pharmaceutical companies to publicly release vaccine data—alarming scientists who stress that COVID vaccines remain safe and effective.

The administration is also reeling from a series of legal defeats. Over the weekend, a federal judge ruled that the deployment of the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles violated federal law, as the forces were used for civilian law enforcement purposes. In a separate ruling, an appeals court struck down much of Trump’s unilateral tariff program, and another judge halted the deportation of hundreds of Guatemalan children, forcing at least one aircraft carrying children to return.

With the shutdown deadline looming, congressional leaders face pressure to resolve budget disputes while also navigating the fallout from these legal and public health challenges.

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