WASHINGTON—President Biden released a new framework on the Democrats’ $1.85 trillion social-spending and climate package Thursday aimed at winning support of congressional Democrats locked in talks over his agenda.
Senior administration officials pitched the plan as a transformative step forward on expanding early childhood education and healthcare coverage and combating climate change, among other programs, but it also marks a scaling back of the administration’s agenda, with key tax increases and a plan to create a national paid leave program out of the framework. A plan to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices wasn’t included in the White House plan, but aides said they expect some provisions to be added during further congressional negotiations.
