Happy Wednesday! It’s a big day for the House’s impeachment inquiry and for the Trump administration’s Middle East foreign policy. Let’s get right to it.

Quick Hits: What You Need to Know

• Lawmakers are scrambling to hash out a short-term government funding bill, without which the government will shut down in nine days.

• A handful of 2020 shakeups: Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick mulls a late 2020 entry. Hillary Clinton claims “many, many, people” are asking her to run again. A new poll suddenly finds Pete Buttigieg in the lead in Iowa.  

• Mick Mulvaney will officially defy the House’s impeachment subpoena.