Half its original size, Biden’s big plan in race to finish

By LISA MASCARO, AAMER MADHANI and ALAN FRAM
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s big domestic policy bill is now half its original size and being pulled apart and reconfigured as Democrats edge closer to satisfying their most reluctant lawmakers. They’re trying to wrap up talks on what’s now about a $1.75 trillion package. A proposed billionaires’ tax is running into criticism as cumbersome, leaving the revenue needed to pay for the package deeply in flux. That’s forcing difficult reductions of proposals for health care and paid family leave, among others. Biden met Tuesday with lawmakers at the White House, including two holdout Democrats, Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.