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Trump's budget chief suggests a government shutdown wouldn't be that bad

"Social Security checks go out, military still exists. The FBI still chases bad guys. I think the consequences have been blown out of proportion."

The Jefferson Memorial is seen with its entry closed off in Washington, October 1, 2013.
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Mick Mulvaney, the Office of Management and Budget director, said in an interview with CNBC's that he thinks the chances of a government shutdown are "very low," and even if it happens, it may not be a big deal.

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The current short-term funding agreement for the federal government is set to expire on April 28, just five days after Congress returns from a two-week recess. In order to avoid a shutdown, which would close federal facilities such as national parks and even limit access to data from federal agencies like the Census Bureau, lawmakers would have to write and pass a funding bill before that time.

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Mulvaney was a key player in the last shutdown in 2013 when the federal government was closed from October 1-16. Mulvaney and the Republican-controlled House supported funding bills that were rejected by the Democratic Senate, including one that delayed the implementation of the Affordable Care Act for a year, in a game of political ping pong.

The OMB Director also said that pinning a shutdown on one part of the government is unfair.

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