President Joe Biden met with a large group of liberal House Democrats on Monday to perform what could be an impossible task: convincing them to lower the cost of a long-sought social welfare spending package meant to create a broad array of new government programs.

Democrats have insisted the package must spend a staggering $3.5 trillion to fund free preschool, free community college, expanded Medicare benefits, paid family and medical leave, child tax credits, green energy policies, and much more.