Senator Markwayne Mullin, a Republican representing Oklahoma, shared a series of posts on October 20 and 21, 2025, regarding the ongoing government shutdown and the actions of Senate Democrats.
In his first post on October 20, Mullin stated, “Senate Dems are telling reporters they want to reopen, but they’re scared. When you start making political decisions instead of doing what’s best for the country— you’ve lost me. Schumer Shutdown Day 20: https://t.co/o1DLDKeEvC”.
Later that day, Mullin described media activity at the Capitol during the shutdown: “Between votes, Capitol Hill reporters will often camp outside by the doors and wait to talk to Senators as we exit. Here’s what that looked like today: https://t.co/y1EdPmWjZP”.
On October 21, he commented on congressional negotiations over federal worker pay amid the shutdown: “Democrats in Congress want all federal workers to receive a paycheck. Here’s a concept: re-open the government. Takes 60 votes.”
The posts refer to an ongoing partial federal government shutdown that had reached its twentieth day by October 20, 2025. In the U.S. Senate, passing most major legislation—including measures to fund or reopen the government—typically requires a supermajority of at least sixty votes due to filibuster rules and procedural requirements. During recent shutdowns, partisan disagreements have frequently led to protracted negotiations over budget allocations and policy provisions before an agreement is reached to restore government funding.
