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Live from NPR News in Washington. I'm Janine Hurst. A partial government shutdown next Friday might be avoided. Now the

congressional leaders have agreed on a short-term spending bill that gives lawmakers

more time to write and pass year-long bills. A source close to the negotiation says the extensions

would adhere to the current two-tier funding deadline structure leaders agreed to last year.

The new deadlines would be in early March. Senate Majority

Leader Chuck Schumer started the process last week to allow the Senate to vote on a

stop gap early next week. In the House Speaker Mike Johnson faces significant opposition from far right members and he will have to pass any stopgap with significant support from Democrats.

That's a move that could put his speakership at risk.

It's unclear at this point whether lawmakers in Washington can reach a deal on

border security and more.

There's growing political urgency to find a solution,

but as President Biden told reporters today,

he's going to let the negotiations play out.

And Pierre Zasmach as Muhammad has more.

Biden told reporters that if Republicans don't fund Ukraine, they will have an awful lot to pay for.

A group of Republicans in Congress have insisted on tying any additional funding for Ukraine to

changes on U.S. border policy. Biden, as he was boarding his Marine One

helicopter, reiterated that he is open to change.

I think we have to make a major change within the border.

I'm pushing it.

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