In the first big test of whether United States Republicans and Democrats can work together under President Joe Biden, a group of 10 Republican senators pitched a $618bn coronavirus relief plan to the new president at the White House on Monday. President Biden has proposed a more ambitious legislative package valued at $1.9 trillion and Democratic members of his party are prepared to push the bill through Congress without Republican votes. The political choice for Biden is stark: fulfil his campaign promise to try to unify the country after years of division, or give up some of what Democrats want for COVID-19 relief to get a bipartisan deal with Republicans.