Elections

Joe Biden Adopts Part of Bernie Sanders’ Free College Plan

MOVING LEFT

The move comes as the two Democratic contenders are set to debate.

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SAUL LOEB

Former Vice President Joe Biden is announcing a policy to make public colleges and universities tuition-free for all students whose family incomes are below $125,000, senior campaign officials said Sunday afternoon.

The plan comes ahead of the 11th Democratic debate, where Biden will face off in a one-on-one matchup against Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), his progressive rival, for the first time. Biden’s campaign is billing his proposal as an explicit adoption of Sanders’ Senate plan with Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA). Sanders on the campaign trail has called to make public colleges and universities tuition-free regardless of income. 

This proposal, which is part of Sanders and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA)’s College for All Act of 2017, is expected to help roughly eight out of every 10 families. Earlier, Biden also adopted Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) proposal on bankruptcy reform, which would “make it easier for people being crushed by debt to obtain relief through bankruptcy.”