Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellFEC flags McConnell campaign over suspected accounting errors Poll: 59 percent think president elected in November should name next Supreme Court justice Mark Kelly: Arizona Senate race winner should be sworn in 'promptly' MORE (R-Ky.) on Tuesday warned that the Senate will be in session between Christmas and New Year's to finish their work unless senators agree to fast-track some items on their to-do list.

"Members should now be prepared to work between Christmas and New Year's, if necessary, to complete our work," McConnell said from the Senate floor.

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He added that without an agreement among senators to speed up the time it takes to work through a piece of legislation it is "virtually certain" they will need to stay in Washington.

"Unless we approach all this work in a highly collaborative, productive way and take real advantage of unanimous consent to expedite proceedings, it is virtually certain that the Senate will need to be in session between Christmas and New Year's in order to complete this work," McConnell added.

It would be the second time the chamber delayed its end-of-year working deadline. The Senate had initially been expected to leave town on Dec. 14. That date got pushed back to Dec. 21 after Congress passed a two-week bill to fund part of the government.

McConnell, explaining why the Senate might need to stay in session longer, ticked off a lengthy list that remains before the chamber, including confirming nominees, passing a massive farm bill, an unwieldy fight over Yemen and preventing a partial government shutdown on Dec. 21.

"In just a few hours from now ... we will receive an indication of whether that cooperation will begin to take shape. My friend, the Democratic leader, and his counterpart in the House are scheduled to meet with President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE at the White House later today," McConnell said, referring to the meeting between Trump, Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerCruz blocks amended resolution honoring Ginsburg over language about her dying wish Senate Democrats introduce legislation to probe politicization of pandemic response Schumer interrupted during live briefing by heckler: 'Stop lying to the people' MORE (N.Y.) and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiHoyer: House should vote on COVID-19 aid — with or without a bipartisan deal Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in repose at Supreme Court McCarthy threatens motion to oust Pelosi if she moves forward with impeachment MORE (Calif.).

He added that he hoped Schumer and Pelosi "are prepared to have a serious discussion and reach an accommodation with the president on funding for border security."

Both sides are far apart on funding for the border.

Republicans and the White House are demanding $5 billon — a number in line with the House's Department of Homeland Security (DHS) bill. Democrats are prepared to offer $1.3 billion as part of a one-year stopgap bill for DHS, while wrapping the other remaining six bills into one package.

In a surprise move, McConnell also announced that the Senate will take up a criminal justice bill that merges a House-passed prison reform effort with four changes to sentencing laws.

"At the request of the president and following improvements to the legislation that has been secured by several members, the Senate will take up the recently revised criminal justice bill," McConnell said from the Senate floor.

The bill has broad support in the Senate but has run into vocal opposition from a group of Republican senators.

Sen. Tom Cotton Tom Bryant CottonGOP brushes back charges of hypocrisy in Supreme Court fight Trump uses bin Laden raid to attack Biden Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight MORE (R-Ark.), who is deeply opposed to the criminal justice bill, warned on Friday that trying to move the measure as part of the year-end spending bill would guarantee senators had to work on Christmas.

"If the jailbreak bill gets stuck in the spending bill, everyone bring your stockings to the Senate, because we’ll be there on Christmas!" he said in a tweet.

Updated at 10:43 a.m.