The White House and the Republican senators have been in talks ever since Mr Biden met with a core group of Republican negotiators over the possibility of working together on an infrastructure plan. “Our approach should ensure that corporations are paying their fair share,” said the memo from the administration’s negotiators to the Republican senators. In all, the White House cut broadband from $100 billion (£70.5 billion) to 65 billion dollars (£45 billion), as Republicans proposed. It also reduced road and bridges spending by 39 billion dollars (£27 billion), from 159 billion dollars (£112 billion) to 120 billion dollars (£84 billion), to move closer to the GOP’s proposal of 48 billion dollars (£33.8 billion) in new funds. Removing the research and development funds would cut a whopping 480 billion dollars (£338 billion), the aides said.

Source: Irish Independent May 22, 2021 08:13 UTC