White House Office of Management and Budget director Mick Mulvaney
John (Mick) Michael MulvaneyOvernight Finance: Lawmakers see shutdown odds rising | Trump calls for looser rules for bank loans | Consumer bureau moves to revise payday lending rule | Trump warns China on trade deficit Overnight Regulation: Dems claim 50 votes in Senate to block net neutrality repeal | Consumer bureau takes first step to revising payday lending rule | Trump wants to loosen rules on bank loans | Pentagon, FDA to speed up military drug approvals Consumer bureau takes first step to revising payday lending rule MORE on Sunday argued that it makes no difference that some GOP senators oppose a bill to fund the government because it needs Democratic support.
“Until you have at least nine Democrats, we cannot open the government. Short of nine, what difference does it make? Without Democrats, the government is not opening,” Mulvaney said, pressed on "Fox News Sunday" about the lack of GOP unity backing a recent funding bill.
Four Republican senators voted against the GOP bill to fund the government. It failed to pass the Senate on Friday night, leading to a partial government shutdown.
Five Democrats voted for the bill, but Mulvaney argued that Democrats are responsible for the shutdown because they haven't shown more bipartisan support.
“This is pure politics on their part. Where are the Democrats who say one thing back home and do another?” Mulvaney said.
Republicans control both chambers of Congress and the White House. Mulvaney noted that Republicans need nine Democrats to reach the 60 vote threshold required in the Senate - although that would only be the case if every Republican senator backed the bill under debate.
The government shutdown stretched into its second day on Sunday, with few signs of Republicans and Democrats reaching a quick agreement to continue funding. Democrats have vowed not to support a funding bill without assurances on addressing immigration reform, something Republicans have declined to include in a funding bill.
Democrats say they offered President Trump
Donald John TrumpDems flip Wisconsin state Senate seat Sessions: 'We should be like Canada' in how we take in immigrants GOP rep: 'Sheet metal and garbage' everywhere in Haiti MORE a deal on funding his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall during a meeting on Friday that the president rejected.
Mulvaney on Sunday charged that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer
Charles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerDemocrats will need to explain if they shut government down over illegal immigration White House: Trump remarks didn't derail shutdown talks Schumer defends Durbin after GOP senator questions account of Trump meeting MORE (D-N.Y.) offered authorization, not appropriated funding, for the wall. He alleged that Schumer didn't intend to deliver his promise.
Mulvaney previously accused Schumer of “mischaracterizing” his meeting with Trump. Schumer’s office hit back, saying Mulvaney was not telling the truth.