“Dick Cheney will be remembered as a remarkable statesman — in Congress and the Executive Branch, in times of peace and war, at home and abroad,” Reynolds said. “Above all, he will be remembered as a patriot, who dedicated his life to the service of his country.”

If the shutdown continues into Wednesday, which lawmakers believe is almost certain, it will shatter that record, set during Trump's first term. That 35-day federal closure in late 2018 and early 2019 resulted from a fight over Trump’s demand for a border wall, which Democrats refused to fund.

Dick Cheney, the hard-charging conservative who became one of the most powerful and polarizing vice presidents in U.S. history and a leading advocate for the invasion of Iraq, has died at age 84.