ROAD TO SHUTDOWN: The House reconvenes today after a long summer recess, and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has his work cut out for him. McCarthy wants to pass a stopgap continuing resolution, or “CR,” to keep the government funded into November while he tries to reconcile the demands of the raucous hard-right wing of his party.

Without passage of the CR, the federal government would have to shut down Sept. 30, 18 days from now, of which only 11 are working days. Members of the House Freedom Caucus are demanding a vote on impeaching President Joe Biden, an end to so-called woke Pentagon policies, and no more money for Ukraine.

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