The Way Hillary Clinton Is Taking a Page From Bernie Sanders' College Book
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College is expensive and a presidential candidate has adopted a former rival's plan to fix it.
Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton changed her strategy for college affordability to, in some aspects, mirror Vermont Sen. Bernie Sander's strategy. If you go to a state school, your education could be free.
Clinton released a plan on Wednesday that would give free in-state tuition to students whose families make less than $125,000 by 2021. The plan's implementation would be staggered. Students with families making less than $85,000 a year would be eligible for free in-state tuition within the first year of a Clinton presidency, and the income threshold would increase by $10,000 per year (ending with the $125,000 in 2021).
The new plan also aims to help former students by enhancing federal income based repayment plans, and The Washington Post reports that Clinton's plan would include a "three-month moratorium on repayment of federal student loans to allow time to refinance or restructure high-interest debt."
The plan, which would be implemented by executive action, according to the New York Times, would also make Pell grant funding available year-round.
Sanders, who has pledged to stay in the presidential race until the Democratic National Convention, met with Clinton, the presumptive nominee, to discuss strategy on issues like college affordability in June, according to the Huffington Post.
Sanders tweeted his support for Clinton's updated college plan on Wednesday, calling it a "bold initiative."
Warren Gunnels, Sanders' chief policy advisor, has consistently spoken with the Clinton campaign in the last few months, according to Politico.
