WASHINGTON—Democrats are grappling with the fiscal and political limits of their pursuit of a broad antipoverty and climate bill, with some senior lawmakers preparing to slim down or eliminate elements of the proposal as moderates push to shrink the $3.5 trillion package.
Senators return to Washington Monday after a weekslong break, in a rush to craft the legislation at the center of President Biden’s agenda, an effort that Republicans oppose. To pass the bill with just Democratic votes, lawmakers will need to navigate a host of intraparty disagreements over the legislation—which aims to expand access to child care, education and healthcare while also raising taxes on high-income households and companies.
