HEADING TO THE BRINK

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives voted 220-211 along party lines to approve a measure to suspend the $28.4 trillion debt ceiling and fund the federal government beyond Thursday, when the current fiscal year ends.

Failing to fund federal agencies could trigger the third partial government shutdown in a decade, and a failure to suspend the debt ceiling by mid-october brings the risk of a historic default that could shake financial markets and even spark a recession.