President Biden and other Democratic leaders are signalling that they’re willing to negotiate specifics of $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan, providing for concessions or breaking the entire package into smaller bills, the Washington Post reports.

The Administration and Congressional Democrats hope that their openness to discussions will attract the support of Congressional Republicans, which would allow Biden to demonstrate is willingness to work with members from the other side of the aisle.  Republicans in the Senate have presented a counter proposal costing about one-quarter the Biden plan.

A bipartisan group of Senators have been meeting to discuss possible compromise measures, adopting the mantra “slow, steady and piecemeal” to demonstrate their willingness to work together. 

Publicly, the Biden administration has been pushing for passage of a comprehensive single bill to tout new jobs, improved infrastructure and climate change goals.  While the discussions about breaking up the bill seem to undermine Biden’s policies, administration officials have endorsed and even participated in the talks.

“We have a little more time for the consideration of this, and the percolation of these proposals, to have broader consultation and dialogue,” said Steve Ricchetti, a top White House aide. “There’s more receptivity on the Republican side to having that dialogue, and they also see the potential to reach some common ground here.”

The Administration has invited bipartisan groups of Congressmen to meet with White House officials and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigeig to hash out details of the plans.