Alabama’s senior U.S. Senator is warning that the current government shutdown could last quite a while.

Republican Sen. Richard Shelby, chairman of Senate Appropriations Committee, told the Washington Examiner he is not optimistic a deal could be reached quickly to solve the impasse between Republicans and Democrats who remain divided over President Trump’s call for funding for a wall at the U.S./Mexico border.

"I'm thinking we might be in for a long haul here," Shelby said. "I'm not optimistic now. If we can ever get over (border wall funding), I think then you've got another week. A new week, a new day, and so forth.

"If we don't get over this — if this goes on for months and months, and it could, I hope not, then that might be a preview of coming attractions."

The Democrat-controlled House voted Thursday to fund the government and end the shutdown but the bill included no money for Trump’s wall and won’t get past the Republican-led Senate.

The current shutdown, which has closed about 25 percent of the government, is stretching into its second week. Roughly 380,000 federal workers are furloughed during the closure and aren’t guaranteed they will receive back pay. Another 420,000 remain on the job but won’t be paid until the government reopens.

The longest government shutdown was 21 days, which occurred from December 1995 to January 1996 during Bill Clinton’s presidency.