House clears government shutdown threat before midterms

• The vote was 370-48, with 19 Republicans and 29 Democrats voting against the measure.
• Republicans had initially worried Democrats would use their leverage over the must-pass bill to extract concessions ahead of the funding deadline.
• But the Senate passed the stopgap with broad bipartisan support before leaving Washington for its August recess, clearing the way for relatively smooth House passage.

The intrigue: A provision delaying a ban on hemp-derived THC products by roughly a month is creating a separate headache for GOP leadership.

• A handful of House Freedom Caucus members are vowing to oppose an unrelated rule governing debate over other legislation because of the hemp provision.
• That could derail the House's broader agenda for the week.

What's next: With the biggest must-do item on the House's September agenda out of the way, GOP leaders have an incentive to get members out of Washington and onto the campaign trail ahead of schedule.

• Every extra day in session creates another opportunity for Republicans to get bogged down in an unpredictable policy fight just weeks before the midterms.
• But leaving early carries its own political risk: Some Republicans are wary of the optics of extending an already lengthy October recess so lawmakers can campaign