1/ A federal government shutdown looks increasingly likely as Kevin McCarthy lacks the votes needed to pass a short-term spending bill and House Republicans have indicated they won’t consider the Senate’s bipartisan plan to fund the government. Far-right conservatives in the House have pushed for deep spending cuts – that won’t pass the Democratic-controlled Senate – while also threatening to remove McCarthy as speaker. And although the Senate advanced a bipartisan continuing resolution, McCarthy rejected the idea because the proposal contains aid to Ukraine, which a number of House Republicans oppose. The Senate bill, however, would likely pass the House with Democratic votes, but McCarthy would risk fracturing the Republican conference that has repeatedly threatened to remove him as speaker. The government will shut down at 12:01 a.m. ET Sunday if Congress doesn’t pass a funding bill. (Washington Post / Associated Press / The Hill / CNN / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / Politico)

2/ Sen. Bob Menendez, his wife, and two business associates all pleaded not guilty court on federal bribery and extortion charges. Menendez has resisted calls from at least 30 of his fellow Democrats to resign despite authorities alleging that he used his “power and influence as a Senator” in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, including “cash, gold, payments toward a home mortgage, compensation for a low-or-no-show job, a luxury vehicle” and more. It’s the second time in eight years that Menendez has been indicted on federal bribery and corruption charges. (ABC News / Axios / CNN / Washington Post / New York Times / Associated Press)

3/ The Federal Communications Commission plans to reinstate net neutrality rules that Trump repealed. The proposal would bar broadband providers from blocking or throttling internet traffic to some websites and speeding up access to others that pay extra. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel called broadband access “not a luxury, it’s a necessity,” adding: “It is essential infrastructure for modern life. No-one without it has a fair shot at 21st century success. We need broadband to reach 100% of us, and it needs to be fast, open and fair.” Rosenworcel said the FCC “seeks to largely return to the successful rules the Commission adopted in 2015,” which would classify broadband as essential infrastructure on a par with water, power, and phone service. (