Congress returns with Democrats refusing to negotiate as Oct 1 shutdown deadline looms

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Both the House and Senate return to session Tuesday after a lengthy summer recess - with a hectic fall and a looming deadline to fund the government on the horizon. 

Front and center is an Oct. 1 deadline to fund the government. Democratic votes are essential to break a filibuster on any spending plan in the Senate. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) faces criticism from the left after he caved and helped avoid a shutdown in March - receiving nothing in return. 

Democrats seem unwilling to make a deal at all, as President Donald Trump tries to unilaterally cancel spending already allocated. 

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Looming over all of this is the specter of the Epstein files, as attaching any Epstein language related to spending bills could complicate avoiding a shutdown. 

Also, Senate Republicans will consider altering procedures to expedite the confirmation of nominees. The GOP has been accusing Democrats of slow-walking even noncontroversial nominees. 

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In September, the House Oversight Committee will continue to hear from former Biden administration officials about the cognitive abilities of the former president. 

Public health is front and center after firings and resignations at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in August. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies the first week of September. That hearing was scheduled before the turmoil.