Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is set to unveil legislation that would provide free tuition at four-year public colleges and universities on Tuesday.
The Democratic presidential candidate had called for two years of free tuition earlier this year.
The Vermont independent argued in a statement Sunday that the U.S. needs the “best-educated workforce” in order to remain competitive globally.
“That will not happen, if, every year, hundreds of thousands of bright young people cannot afford to go to college, and if millions more leave school deeply in debt,” said Sanders, the ranking member on the Senate Budget Committee.
His legislation would eliminate undergraduate tuition at public colleges and universities, the statement said, and would expand work-study programs. The measure would also “substantially lower” student debt and bring down rates on student loans, it said.
Sanders, who is running to the left of Hillary Clinton, called in February for federal and state governments to invest $18 billion per year in public higher education in order to make tuition free for two years.
Clinton, the Democratic front-runner, hasn’t discussed too many specific policy proposals yet, including on college tuition and student debt. MSNBC reported late last month that Clinton would soon unveil a college student debt plan.
