Dems edge toward pared-down spending plan to boost support

By JONATHAN LEMIRE, LISA MASCARO and ALEXANDRA JAFFE
Associated Press

HOWELL, Mich. (AP) — President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats are edging closer to agreement on how sharply to cut back his ambitious social spending plan. The consensus was emerging even as the president made a public case Tuesday that the package will help keep the nation from losing its “edge” in global competitiveness. Biden went to Michigan to promote his proposal for expanded safety net, health and environmental programs. After his speech, he acknowledged the inevitable, telling reporters: “I want to make sure that we have a package that everyone can agree on. It’s not going to be $3.5 trillion. It’s going to be less than that.”