Billions for education and R&D in slimmed-down US spending plan

White House forced to reduce $3.5 trillion package to $1.75tn after opposition from Democrats

United States president Joe Biden is hoping that after internal battles among Democrats, a whittled-down spending package containing billions for research, universities and students will be approved by his own party.

In late summer, after the Senate approved a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package, Democrats followed up with an additional $3.5tn spending plan they intended to force through Congress using a wafer-thin Senate majority. But after opposition from some high-profile Democrats, Biden has been forced to slim down the secondary package to $1.75tn.