Others pointed to the legislative branch’s responsibility to keep the government up and running. “Whether you’re Democrat or Republican, it behooves us to fund the government, to do our jobs, because at the end of the day we’re accountable to the American people,” Senator Shelby said Monday night. Asked if he thought there would be enough support within Congress to override a potential veto from the White House in order to keep the federal lights on, Shelby took a moment to consider. “I believe there’d be a lot of strong support on both sides to keep the government open,” he answered. “No one wins on that.”

Does the Appropriations chairman have any advice for the president?

“Advice? I don’t give the president advice,” Shelby responded, before offering advice to the president. “I would just tell the president . . . that we’re working hard to do our jobs, to fund the government before October the first,” the Alabama Republican said. “And I would hope he would work with us.”