AMNA NAWAZ: Welcome to the "News Hour."

Congress is back in Washington# tonight, and the clock is already## ticking.

Lawmakers have less than one# month to avoid a government shutdown.

GEOFF BENNETT: On the table, a fierce# fight over billions in spending cuts,## some 30,000 pages' worth of Jeffrey# Epstein-related files that Republicans## just posted tonight online, and the Senate# moving to fast-track President Trump's nominees.

Our congressional correspondent,# Lisa Desjardins, joins us now.

So, Lisa, it's always great to see you.

Let's start with the possible# government shutdown at.. of the month.

We are weeks away.

How likely is it?

LISA DESJARDINS: It is possible.

Let's take people through exactly how this# is.. the deadline is September 30 to fund most of# government.

Now, any deal needs 60 Senate votes.## So, of course, that means likely at least# seven Democrats would have to get on board.

Now, that's led to this# situation where, of course,## Democrats know they have leverage here.

They# don't have leverage in a lot of cases.

House## Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries today# told reporters, including myself, that## he's looking for a bipartisan solution.

But what# that really means is, he wants some concessions.

REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY): That# spending bill has to be both bipartisan,## a product of negotiation, and it's got# to serve the interests of the American## people in terms of their health, safety,# national security, and economic well-being.

LISA DESJARDINS: Health,# safety, national security,## economic, that covers everything.

So,# there's a lot on the table f.. And this is the man really to watch,# Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.## It's his vote that Republicans will# need to get a funding bill through,## or it could be his decision to try to go# all the way to a government shutdown.

It## is very much on the table, a risky# decision for Democrats either way.

The pressure is on them to# stand up to President Trump,## try and get some policy changes.

But some# Democrats say a shutdown might benefit Trump.

GEOFF BENNETT: And why are they# feeling the pressure this week, Lisa?

LISA DESJARDINS: Right.

It seems like th.. in the middle of the month, there will be a# recess, a full week.

So really it's just about## two or three weeks they have.

And, remember,# they're only in town three days a week mostly.

GEOFF BENNETT: Let's talk about# the other big news tonight.

The House Oversight Committee released tens# of thousands of pages of documents related## to the Jeffrey Epstein case.

There had been# Republicans calling for more transparency,## and this appears to be a step in that direction?

LISA DESJARDINS: Right.

And a reminder, we're talking about#Jeffrey Epstein.

He's the financier## accused of sex crimes.

His conspirator,# Ghislaine Maxwell, was sent to prison for## those crimes.

He also was connected# with many high-profile individuals,## friends with Donald Trump, though# Trump has disavowed him since.

Here's what we got tonight, documents like# this, 33,000-plus pages of them.

But I want## to point out, this document, our producer# Matt Loffman quickly figured out, is public.## This is not something that is special to the# Department of Justice.

This is something you## could find on the Supreme Court's Web site.

This# is Ghislaine Maxwell's -- part of her appeal case.

So a lot of this are legal# documents.

Going through them,## we really don't know how much of# it is new.

But I am told from House## Oversight Republicans that these are all the# documents that DOJ has given them so far.

Democrats have said, first of all, that these# 34,000 documents is just 1 percent of the total.## Now, Republicans are worried about something# else going on.

That's a bipartisan effort by## two -- two Republican -- two members of Congress,# Democratic Representative Ro Khanna there on the## right and then Thomas Massie of Kentucky.# They are trying to make an end run around## House leadership to force release of# all documents, make them all public.

But the question is if the votes are there.

And,## today, Speaker Johnson made it clear# he doesn't want that effort.

And I## think this release tonight is an attempt to# try and take votes away from that end run,## so a lot in play.

Do we know that much more about# Jeffrey Epstein tonight?

Not yet.

We will see.

GEOFF BENNETT: Yes.

Well,# more to come on that front.

Meantime, there is a battle# brewing in the Senate over## President Trump's nominations?

Tell us about that.

LISA DESJARDINS: Right.

This is something important to watch.#And it's not just about Senate process.## It's really about how our government works.# First of all, Trump's nominees have -- most## of them have not been able to be confirmed# by voice vote.

What does that mean?

Well,## it means an easy ride for the 1,300-plus, some# of these nominees who are not controversial.

Democrats have stopped that process.

They# have been stalling it because they do## oppose so much of Trump's policies.

But now# Senate Republicans are saying perhaps it's## time to change the rules.

Now, when# you change the rules in the Senate,## as you know from being up there, it is a# very big deal.

It's called going nuclear,## and it changes sort of how the power structure# works, not just in the Senate, but in Washington.

So we're watching very closely.

I do# think Senate Republicans are going to## go nuclear.

It's a question of how they do it# and what it means down the road for democracy.

GEOFF BENNETT: Lisa Desjardins, our thanks# to you, as always.

We appreciate it.

LISA DESJARDINS: You're welcome.