Mitch McConnell

===Government shutdowns===
The United States federal government shut down October 1–17, 2013, following a failure to enact legislation to fund the government. McConnell later vowed Republicans would not force the U.S. to default on its debt or shut down the government in 2014, when stop-gap funding measures were set to expire. He also said he would not allow other Republicans to obstruct the budget-making process.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/mitch-mcconnell-government-shutdown-098943|title=McConnell: No more shutdowns|author=Palmer, Anna|date=October 28, 2013|work=[[Politico]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=October 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201012190403/https://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/mitch-mcconnell-government-shutdown-098943|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Bash|first=Dana|date=August 28, 2014|title=McConnell: 'Remember me? I am the guy that gets us out of shutdowns' {{!}} CNN Politics|url=https://www.cnn.com/2014/08/28/politics/mitch-mcconnell-shutdowns/index.html|access-date=January 6, 2022|website=[[CNN]]|language=en|archive-date=January 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106065340/https://www.cnn.com/2014/08/28/politics/mitch-mcconnell-shutdowns/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In July 2018, McConnell said funding for the [[Mexico–United States border]] wall would likely have to wait until the midterms had concluded. President Trump tweeted two days later that he was willing to allow a government shutdown to get funding.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/30/politics/mitch-mcconnell-shutdown-president-trump/index.html|title=McConnell said wall funding would 'probably' have to wait until after midterms. Trump threatened a shutdown two days later|first=Jamie|last=Ehrlich|date=July 30, 2018|publisher=[[CNN]]|access-date=January 9, 2019|archive-date=December 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181206033408/https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/30/politics/mitch-mcconnell-shutdown-president-trump/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Several spending bills were approved that August; the approvals were seen as a victory for McConnell in his attempts to prevent another government shutdown.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/403360-senate-passes-massive-spending-bill-on-defense-health-education/|title=Senate approves sweeping bill on defense, domestic spending|author=Carney, Jordain|date=October 23, 2018|newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=August 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805110643/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/403360-senate-passes-massive-spending-bill-on-defense-health-education|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Shutdown of 2018–2019====
From December 22, 2018, until January 25, 2019, the [[United States federal government shutdown of 2018–2019|federal government was shut down]] when Congress refused to give in to Trump's demand for $5.7&nbsp;billion in federal funds for a [[Trump border wall|U.S.–Mexico border wall]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/422600-mcconnell-knocks-dems-for-rejecting-trumps-reasonable-request-on-border/|title=McConnell knocks Dems for rejecting Trump's 'reasonable request' on border|author=Carney, Jordain|date=December 22, 2018|newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=August 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804015536/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/422600-mcconnell-knocks-dems-for-rejecting-trumps-reasonable-request-on-border|url-status=live}}</ref> In December 2018, the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican-controlled]] [[U.S. Senate|Senate]] unanimously passed an appropriations bill without wall funding, and the bill appeared likely to be approved by the Republican-controlled [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] and Trump. After Trump faced heavy criticism from some [[Alternative media (U.S. political right)|right-wing media outlets]] and pundits for appearing to back down on his campaign promise to [[Build the Wall|"build the wall"]], he announced that he would not sign any appropriations bill that did not fund its construction.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/423590-mcconnell-suggests-shutdown-could-last-for-weeks/|title=McConnell suggests shutdown could last for weeks|author=Carney, Jordain|date=January 2, 2019|newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922153149/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/423590-mcconnell-suggests-shutdown-could-last-for-weeks|url-status=live}}</ref>

During this shutdown, McConnell blocked the Senate from voting on appropriations legislation, and said it was not his place to mediate between the Senate and Trump.<ref name="Bresnahan-2019">{{Cite web|url=https://politi.co/2F8BR6M|title=McConnell keeps his head down as government shutdown drags on|last1=Bresnahan|first1=John|last2=Everett|first2=Burgess|website=[[Politico]]|language=en|date=January 4, 2019|access-date=May 23, 2019|archive-date=November 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120195811/https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/04/mcconnell-government-shutdown-1080027|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Nilsen-2019">{{Cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/10/18176932/senate-democrats-mitch-mcconnell-government-shutdown|title=Senate Democrats pushed a vote to reopen the government. Mitch McConnell shot them down.|last=Nilsen|first=Ella|date=January 10, 2019|website=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|access-date=May 23, 2019|archive-date=May 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523202409/https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/10/18176932/senate-democrats-mitch-mcconnell-government-shutdown|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Itkowitz-2019">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/01/11/mitch-mcconnell-could-end-shutdown-hes-sitting-this-one-out/|title=Mitch McConnell could end the shutdown. But he's sitting this one out.|last=Itkowitz|first=Colby|date=January 11, 2019|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200905084251/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/01/11/mitch-mcconnell-could-end-shutdown-hes-sitting-this-one-out/|url-status=live}}</ref> Privately, McConnell had advised Trump against initiating the shutdown.<ref name="Homans-2019" /> Democrats criticized McConnell for not putting appropriations legislation up for a vote, noting that the Republican-controlled Senate had unanimously passed an appropriations bill without wall funding and that the Senate could override Trump's veto.<ref name="Bresnahan-2019" /><ref name="Nilsen-2019" /><ref name="Itkowitz-2019" />

By January 23, McConnell had blocked four Senate bills to reopen the government and a bill funding the Homeland Security Department through February 8. McConnell called for Democrats to support a Trump administration-backed measure that included $5.7&nbsp;billion in wall funding, together with a temporary extension of protections for [[DACA]] recipients, a Democratic priority.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/426668-mcconnell-blocks-bill-to-reopen-most-of-government/|title=McConnell blocks bill to reopen most of government|author=Carney, Jordain|date=January 23, 2019|newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=January 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190124044721/https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/426668-mcconnell-blocks-bill-to-reopen-most-of-government|url-status=live}}</ref> Privately, other Republican senators pressured McConnell to stop blocking appropriations legislation.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/this-is-your-fault-gop-senators-clash-over-shutdown-inside-private-luncheon/2019/01/24/cde0ca22-2045-11e9-8b59-0a28f2191131_story.html|title='This is your fault': GOP senators clash over shutdown inside private luncheon|last1=Sullivan|first1=Sean|last2=Kane|first2=Paul|date=January 25, 2019|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923011602/https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/this-is-your-fault-gop-senators-clash-over-shutdown-inside-private-luncheon/2019/01/24/cde0ca22-2045-11e9-8b59-0a28f2191131_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/03/us/politics/mcconnell-senate-republicans-shutdown.html|title=McConnell Faces Pressure From Republicans to Stop Avoiding Shutdown Fight|last1=Stolberg|first1=Sheryl Gay|date=January 3, 2019|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=May 23, 2019|last2=Fandos|first2=Nicholas|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=January 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190115075719/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/03/us/politics/mcconnell-senate-republicans-shutdown.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The shutdown ended on January 25, when President Trump signed a three-week funding measure reopening the government until February 15 without any funds for a border wall.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gambino |first1=Lauren |last2=Walters |first2=Joanna |title=Trump signs bill to end shutdown and temporarily reopen government |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/25/shutdown-latest-news-trump-reopens-government-deal-democrats |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=January 25, 2019 |date=January 25, 2019 |archive-date=January 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125203948/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/25/shutdown-latest-news-trump-reopens-government-deal-democrats |url-status=live }}</ref> This was the longest government shutdown in American history.<ref name="Homans-2019" /><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Zaveri|first1=Mihir|last2=Gates|first2=Guilbert|last3=Zraick|first3=Karen|date=January 9, 2019|title=The Government Shutdown Was the Longest Ever. Here's the History.|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/01/09/us/politics/longest-government-shutdown.html|access-date=January 6, 2022|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=January 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109234923/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/01/09/us/politics/longest-government-shutdown.html|url-status=live}}</ref>