Vice President Pence has been actively urging congressional Republicans to stick with the president amid the ongoing fight over funding for the federal government, which lapsed two weeks ago.
The Washington Post reports that Pence called about a half dozen Republicans in the House on Thursday, urging the lawmakers to vote against any spending deal that would reopen the government without providing the White House's desired $5 billion in funding for border security measures.
His calls came hours before the House voted on two bills, one that would open the Department of Homeland Security through Feb. 8, and one that would open the rest of the federal government through September, which both passed with little Republican support.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Hill on Pence's reported lobbying.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellTrump says he may call a national emergency to build border wall Democrats launch ‘drain-the-swamp’ agenda Pence privately pushed House Republicans to stand by Trump on shutdown: report MORE (R-Ky.) has indicated that those bills, which do not provide the funding demanded by Trump for the border wall, will not be brought up for a vote in the Senate.
The shutdown closed out its second week, with congressional leaders declaring little progress made after another meeting with the president and indicating that the federal government could remain partially closed for weeks or even months.
Democrats have refused to budge on spending for the border wall, with Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro PelosiTrump says he may call a national emergency to build border wall Dems to introduce gun background checks bill on anniversary of Gabby Giffords shooting Trump: Dem congresswoman 'dishonored' herself with profane call for impeachment MORE (D-Calif.) telling reporters this week that her party will not offer a single dollar for the plan.
“Nothing for the wall,” Pelosi said in an interview with NBC that aired Thursday.
Trump indicated Wednesday during a televised Cabinet meeting that the government will remain closed for "as long as it takes" for Congress to come around and authorize the funding.
“The United States needs a physical barrier. It needs a wall,” Trump said Wednesday.