In a bid to avoid a partial government shutdown next week, congressional leaders are gearing up to introduce a stopgap bill that will keep the federal government running until March. The temporary measure will provide funding until March 1 for certain federal agencies whose approved funds are set to expire on Friday, while extending the remainder of government operations until March 8.

This information was revealed by an anonymous source with knowledge of the situation. The stopgap bill is expected to be released on Sunday and is crucially dependent on Democratic support in the narrowly divided House of Representatives.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, has been facing pressure from his party's more conservative members to abandon the bipartisan spending deal reached with Senate Democrats. Despite the calls to renegotiate, Johnson reaffirmed on Friday that he is standing by the agreement he made with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York.

"The top-line agreement remains intact," stated Johnson, referring to the budget accord that was finalized on January 7.

Critics of the spending deal, particularly hard-right Republicans who played a role in the removal of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, have voiced their discontent. Some have even threatened a motion to oust Johnson over the agreement, mere months after he was elected to his position.

To address these concerns, Johnson held meetings with about two dozen House Republicans, many of whom are more centrist-leaning and urged him to honor the agreement. These moderate voices assured Johnson of their support, emphasizing the need to avoid a repeat of past chaotic situations.

"I just can't imagine the House wants to relive the madness," commented Representative French Hill, a Republican from Arkansas who had been involved in negotiating the initial agreement with President Joe Biden and other leaders.

With the introduction of the stopgap bill looming, the path forward to keeping the government funded and avoiding a shutdown will ultimately rely on securing bipartisan cooperation and maintaining party unity.