Biden bound for global summits, aims to pass domestic agenda

President WASHINGTON —

Joe Biden promised to show the world that democracies can work to meet the challenges of the 21st century. As he prepares to push that message at a pair of global summits, his case could hinge on what’s happening in Washington, where he is rushing to finalize a major domestic legislative package.

Headed first to Rome and then to Glasgow, Scotland, Biden will be pressed to deliver concrete ideas for stopping a global pandemic, boosting economic growth and halting the acceleration of climate change. Those stakes might seem a bit high for a pair of two-day gatherings attended by the global elite and their entourages. But it’s written right into the slogan for the Group of 20 meeting in Rome: “People, Planet, Prosperity.”

Biden delivered East Room remarks on his domestic agenda before boarding Air Force One on Thursday, casting the legislation as a choice between “leading the world, or letting the world pass us by.”

It was a reflection of his promise to align U.S. diplomacy with the interests of the middle class. This has tied any success abroad to his efforts to get Congress to advance his environmental, tax, infrastructure and social policies. It could be harder to get the world to commit to his stated goals if Americans refuse to fully embrace them.

Before leaving Washington, Biden was pitching House Democrats to get behind a scaled-back $1.75 trillion ‘framework’ that he believes could pass the 50-50 Senate. It remained to be seen how lawmakers would react to the package, as some key-priorities like paid family leave and steps to lower prescription drug costs were excised from the bill, which will be paid for with hiked taxes on the nation’s wealthiest and corporations.

“We are at an inflection point,” Biden told the lawmakers according to a source familiar with his remarks. “The rest of the world wonders whether we can function.”