Melissa Marsala

House exasperates Cuddy when he suggests that two sick babies in one hospital add up to an epidemic. Even more frightening is when it turns out he may be right. As more babies are quarantined and the maternity ward is shut down, Cuddy powerscrubs the hospital and House spars with Cameron and the team over his plan to sacrifice one baby for the good of the rest.

A disastrous fiscal crisis looms when the federal government is shut down after the President and the powerful Republican Speaker of the House disagree over an extra two percent in budget reductions that would trim many of Bartlet's key social programs. Opinion polls reveal that the public blames the Democrats for the impasse. As Leo, Josh and Toby send the staff home, the trio remains uneasy as the President refuses to compromise--until he hatches a bold plan to personally and publicly challenge the Republicans in the halls of the Capitol. Meanwhile, Abbey suddenly reappears from her self-imposed exile for a State dinner that she might have to cook herself.

When a Republican Supreme Court justice suddenly dies, the Bartlet administration scrambles to find a worthy replacement, and the halls are filled with candidates. But the President senses that the process is a political minefield until Josh devises a wild plan that could also create an opening for Evelyn Baker Lang (Emmy and Tony Award winner Glenn Close - "Fatal Attraction," "Air Force One"), a liberal who would be an unthinkable choice. Potential judicial nominees visit the West Wing offices and are interviewed--some serving only as decoys to confuse the press. But everyone gets curious when the President meets with Christopher Mulready (William Fichtner - "The Perfect Storm"), a bright but conservative judge.

With Cam’s reputation and career on the line, the team travels from overseas to help her solve the case of an unidentified young boy. The Forensics Anthropology Unit lost much of its vigor after disbanding to pursue personal ventures, and it will take the collaborative energy and knowledge of the newly reunited team to unravel evidence and find closure for the family of the unknown boy. After unearthing new clues in the lab and making unexpected personal discoveries, the team realizes they belong back in Washington, D.C.

Toby finishes the State of the Union Address a few weeks early, and a pregnant Joey Lucas (recurring guest star Marlee Matlin - "Children of a Lesser God") polls responses to the speech from everyday people. Charlie is intrigued by Meeshell Anders (Gabrielle Union - "Friends"), an aspiring female journalist with a secret. Abbey pressures her husband to pardon a Native American tribal leader convicted of killing two FBI agents in North Dakota. Bartlet opposes minimums and guidelines for prison sentences and pardons over 30 inmates. And Toby hires a new assistant, Rena (recurring guest star Melissa Marsala).