Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., has become something of a "House whisperer" to his Senate Republican colleagues, Politico reported.
Mullin, who was elected to the Senate after a decade in the House, has shown the ability to help the two chambers find common ground as they butt heads on how to advance President Trump's agenda.
"He plays a very constructive role," Senate Majority Leader John Thune told Politico. "He's just a guy who is always looking and driving to try to get things done."
Thune had credited Mullin with helping to open useful "lines of communication."
Mullin frequently attends the House GOP's weekly conference meetings and the Wednesday lunches of the Republican Study Committee, a rarity for a senator, and is also seen in the office of House Speaker Mike Johnson, Politico reported.
"I think it's helpful to have kind of a liaison between both chambers because there's a lot of confusion that takes place," Mullin told Politico. "You would think that with us being in the same building we would know what each chamber is doing, but really we don't."
Thune told Politico that Mullin also is a "Senate whisperer" for Trump, being his eyes and ears for the upper chamber. Trump hailed Mullin at a meeting of Senate Republicans this month, Politico reported.
Mullin sits on weekly meetings and serves on the Senate's whip team. He served as a translator inside the Senate GOP when Johnson and Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., broke with Thune to advocate for passing Trump's domestic policy agenda in one massive bill rather than two separate bills, Politico reported, telling colleagues Republicans slim House agenda made passing a single bill more palatable.
Mullin later supported Thune's decision to move ahead with two bills, telling Politico the House has missed its own self-imposed deadlines.