News Update

Free community college removed from spending bill, Jill Biden says

President Joe Biden’s plan to make community college tuition-free was deleted from the Build Back Better spending bill as part of a series of compromises with Republicans, Jill Biden told a group of community college leaders, the New York Times reported.

“One year ago, I told this group that Joe, my husband Joe, was going to fight for community colleges,” Jill Biden, a longtime champion of community colleges, told the Community College National Legislative Summit in Washington, according to the newspaper. “But Joe has also had to make compromises. Congress hasn’t passed the Build Back Better legislation — yet. And free community college is no longer a part of that package.”

The bill originally included $45.5 billion to cover two years of community college tuition for all eligible students, for five years. States would have been required to cover a portion. Democrats are still trying to push through a financial aid package for low- and middle-income students, and may try again for the full tuition waiver for all students in the future, the newspaper reported.