WASHINGTON _ Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said Sunday that a government shutdown this week was unlikely but possible.
A two-week stopgap spending bill passed by Congress this month provided enough funding to keep the government running through Friday. A deadlock on another temporary funding measure could lead to a shutdown.
"I can't rule it out, but I can't imagine it occurring," Mnuchin said on "Fox News Sunday," suggesting that everyone had an interest in avoiding the government grinding to a halt and federal workers going unpaid, especially in the holiday season.
"I would expect that both the House and Senate, Republicans and Democrats, understand if they can't agree on this, they need to have another short-term extension to move this to January," Mnuchin said. "We can't have a government shutdown in front of Christmas."
In May, irate over concessions made to Democrats in negotiating a spending measure, President Donald Trump said a "good 'shutdown" might help matters. While both parties agree that a government shutdown involves a degree of disruption that is not beneficial to either side, shutdowns in 1995-96 and in 2013 mainly caused a backlash against Republicans.
The latest funding measure is to be taken up after a vote on the Republican tax bill, expected by midweek.
