Office of Management and Budget Director Shaun Donovan said on Wednesday that although the chances of a government shutdown are “low,” he still has his eye on his office’s shutdown countdown clock.

“I believe [the chance] is still low, but … it is important that members of Congress know that this is the most important thing they can do in the next eight days,” Donovan said during POLITICO Magazine’s “What Works Summit,” which was moderated by POLITICO Editor Susan Glasser.

Donovan called the possibility of a shutdown “nerve-wracking” and said setting a budget is “the most basic job of government.”

“We need to get this done, and I am hopeful that we’ve heard from the leadership on both sides of the aisle that that’s recognized that we need to keep moving, but we’ve just heard that before,” Donovan said. “Congress needs to do its job and we need a funding bill for the rest of the year.”

About sequestration, Donovan said it limits the federal government’s ability to invest in infrastructure, education and housing…

D.C.’s Mayor-Elect Muriel Bowser said at the event that “any grant funds that can help us use data to help improve is welcome.”

“We know that we can do more in our lower income communities to improve energy efficiency and we want to make sure we do that,” Bowser said.

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