McCarthy rejects Senate spending bill while scrambling for a House plan that averts a shutdown

By KEVIN FREKING and STEPHEN GROVES
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is digging in on his refusal to take up Senate legislation designed to keep the federal government fully running beyond midnight Saturday. He’s also acknowledging that stark divisions within his own conference hamper that chamber’s ability to do its job. Congress is at a crossroads days before a disruptive federal shutdown. It would halt paychecks for millions of federal workers, including 2 million active-duty military troops and reservists, and close many federal offices. The White House, meanwhile, is telling its workers to prepare for a shutdown, according to communications obtained by The Associated Press.