Tuition Free College and Trade Schools

No one should go into tens of thousands of dollars of debt to get an education. Yet every year, we force millions of Americans to choose between crushing debt or not going to college. A child born today who attends a four-year public college in 18 years can expect to pay $150-200K for their education. This system makes no sense and is unsustainable. Exorbitant student loans prevent so many San Franciscans from pursuing their dreams or simply making ends meet. An education in this country should not come at such a high cost. We should be encouraging people to pursue higher education, not making it harder.

The solution is simple: we need tuition-free public universities and trade schools. California offered free tuition at public universities until the late 1970s, and many countries around the world still do today. This is an investment in our economy and our future — when people can pursue education without crushing debt, everyone benefits. In Congress, I'll support the College for All Act to make public colleges, community colleges, and trade schools tuition-free. I'll also fight to expand Pell grants and work-study programs so students can afford housing, books, and living expenses while in school.

Furthermore, we need real relief for the millions of Americans saddled with excessive student debt. Nearly 43 million people, one in six adult Americans, have federal student loan debt. Roughly a quarter of these borrowers are significantly behind in their payments or in default. Congress has the authority to amend or waive the terms of federal student loans through new legislation, and has a moral responsibility to act quickly to provide debt relief to struggling Americans. I support legisaltion to provide comprehensive debt relief for low-income Americans, zero percent interest rates on all federal student loans, and removing student loan debt defaults from credit scores.