Democrats Unveil Bill to Help Realize Obama's Free-College Proposal

July 8, 2015
  • Industry News

A team of Congressional Democrats on Wednesday introduced a bill that would make community college free for two years and help cover the costs of a four-year degree at minority-serving institutions, pushing forward the free-college proposal that President Obama unveiled in January.

But with a $90-billion price tag over 10 years for the federal government, the measure is about $30 billion more expensive than Mr. Obama’s proposal, and so far it does not have the backing of any Republican lawmakers.

Still, its sponsors called it a crucial step toward defraying costs and ensuring college access for low-income, minority, and first-generation students who would otherwise take out large loans to finance their educations.

Read more at The Chronicle of Higher Education: http://chronicle.com/article/Democrats-Unveil-Bill-to-Help/231451