Hillary Clinton has unveiled her plan for reducing student loan debt and for making college more affordable: tuition will be free at public colleges for in-state students whose families make under $125,000 a year. The plan will be phased in over a five-year period.
This is a slightly modified version of primary opponent Sen. Bernie Sanders' plan, which would have made tuition free at public universities for all American citizens. Clinton had previously called for debt-free college, but now is proposing an expanded form of this earlier plan.
From The Hill:
Under the plan, families making $125,000 or less will pay no tuition at public, in-state universities and colleges.
“The plan will be phased in over five years, but families earning $85,000 or less will immediately be able to attend an in-state college or university without paying any tuition,” reads an announcement on Clinton’s website.
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee also unveiled a plan to use executive actions to offer a three-month moratorium on payments for those with federal student loans.
"American families are drowning in debt caused by ever-rising college costs, and it is imperative that the next president put forward a bold plan to make debt-free college available to all," Clinton said in a statement. "My New College Compact will do just that -- by making sure that working families can send a child or loved one to college tuition-free and by giving student debt-holders immediate relief.
As the DNC draws nearer, Clinton is going to have to work overtime to try to woo former Sanders supporters to vote for her. It makes perfect sense that she'd start to mimic some of the Vermont senator's proposals--even ones she'd previously criticized. A large percentage of Sanders' support came from young, Millennial-aged voters who would benefit from student loan forgiveness and controls on tuition costs. Clinton needs these voters if she's going to win. This likely won't be the last time Clinton pivots further left before the general election.