The Bidens on Federal Higher Education Policy

Both President-Elect Joe Biden and future First Lady Dr. Jill Biden made comments this week regarding some of their views on federal higher education policy.

First, President-Elect Biden expressed support for partial student loan debt cancellation, a policy that has gotten a lot of attention in recent months, including much visibility this week. From Inside Higher Education: "'It does figure in my plan,' Biden said when asked if debt cancellation is an element of his [economic stimulus] plan. Biden noted that during the campaign he supported a provision in the Democratic House’s COVID-19 relief bill, which would cancel $10,000 of debt for all borrowers." At that same press conference, Biden reiterated his support for policies that would provide free tuition for community colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and public higher education for students with a family income of less than $125,000.

Also, Dr. Biden said yesterday that she and the president-elect both support tuition free community college. From Inside Higher Education: "Speaking at a symposium sponsored by College Promise Career Institute, a nonprofit promoting economic mobility, Biden said of her husband, President-elect Joe Biden, 'Joe and I will stand by you in those efforts because we know just how crucial this work is, because we know how our economy depends on it, because we know our students deserve nothing less.'"