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Joe Biden, the former vice president, attempting to reach out to progressives, is adopting rival Bernie Sanders’s plan to make four-year public colleges and universities tuition-free -- though only for families whose income is below $125,000.
Biden had previously only proposed making community colleges free in his higher education plan.
“I never said everything Bernie has said was wrong,” Biden quipped during Sunday night’s CNN debate.
Announcing the change in a tweet earlier on Sunday, Biden said he has come around on tuition-free four-year public college out of concern that middle-class families are struggling with debt. “This is a massive problem, and one that we need all of the best ideas to solve … Bernie has put forward a plan that would make public colleges and universities free for families whose income is below $125,000. It's a good idea, and after consideration, I am proud to add it to my platform.”
“I’m glad you’re coming around now,” Sanders responded at the debate. But the Vermont senator noted that he’d supported the idea when it was considered radical.
“Leadership is about going ahead when it’s not popular,” Sanders said.
Sanders also noted in his own tweet that he’d still go further than Biden in proposing to make college free, without income limits, as well as canceling all student debt.
Biden had proposed a more targeted approach on debt cancellation, saying he’d enroll all existing and new borrowers in income-based repayment plans, except for those choosing to opt out. Those making $25,000 or less per year would not owe any payments on their undergraduate federal student loans and wouldn’t accrue any interest on those loans. Others would pay 5 percent of their discretionary income above $25,000 toward their loans. He’d forgive 100 percent of any remaining debt for those who have made payments for 20 years.
