Mitch McConnell smacks down the GOP shutdown brigade, warning of 'chaos and uncertainty' if the federal government closes its doors

• McConnell on Thursday swiped at the GOP senators pushing the government closer to a shutdown.
• He said on Fox News that a federal shutdown "makes no sense for anyone."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday swiped at the small group of Senate Republicans threatening to shut down the federal government this weekend in a bid to defund President Joe Biden's vaccine and testing mandates.

The directive for large employers to either require workers to get a shot or set up a COVID-19 testing regimen at workplaces isn't in effect because it's held up in court. But that hasn't prevented a brigade led by Sens. Roger Marshall of Kansas and Ted Cruz of Texas from demanding a provision to strip funding from federal agencies charged with carrying out the order to be included in a short-term funding deal to keep the government open.

Not all Senate Republicans are on board with their position, including McConnell.

The Kentucky Republican told Fox News that the funding bill wasn't the right venue to go after the mandates.

"There's a decent chance the courts will strike them down," he said. "I don't think shutting down the government over this issue is going to get an outcome. It's only going to create chaos and uncertainty."

McConnell also reiterated his belief that the government wouldn't end up closing its doors.

"We're not going to shut the government down," he said. "That makes no sense for anyone. Almost no one on either side thinks it's a good idea."

His comments came as congressional leaders struck a short-term funding deal that would keep the government open and fund it at existing levels until February 18, a measure commonly referred to as a "continuing resolution." The only change to current funding levels in the bill is an additional $7 billion allocated to resettle Afghan refugees, a Democratic demand.

"While I wish it were earlier, this agreement allows the appropriations process to move forward toward a final funding agreement which addresses the needs of the American people," Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said in a statement.

Now, Democrats and Republicans are racing to swiftly approve the measure in both the House and the Senate by midnight Friday, when federal funding dries up.

The spending deal sets the stage for a House vote later on Thursday. But its prospects are cloudier in the Senate because all 100 senators must consent to fast-tracking the bill. Marshall and Cruz didn't appear to be ready Thursday to lend support to the deal.

"We've taken extraordinary steps to protect public health. But we also need to respect individual liberty," Cruz said on Thursday afternoon.

"I don't want to shut the government down," Marshall told reporters. "But we told Sen. Schumer over a month ago that we don't want any funding in the CR to fund OSHA for this unconstitutional federal vaccine mandate."

Asked about McConnell's remarks, Marshall told Insider: "I don't have a comment."

Both are seeking a vote on an amendment to the bill to nix federal funding with a 51-vote threshold instead of the usual 60.

GOP support is critical to avert a shutdown, but McConnell is struggling to quell the shutdown brigade, which is a challenge to his grip on the GOP caucus.