First lady Jill Biden acknowledges goal of free community college is dead, for now

Washington — First lady Dr. Jill Biden admitted Monday that her goal of establishing government-backed, free community college for eligible students is not going to happen — at least not anytime soon or as part of some modified version of President Biden's Build Back Better agenda.

The legislation is languishing on Capitol Hill, where its key opponent, Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, says he is not going to do anything to revive it as originally written. But Manchin and other Democrats are hoping to salvage at least some of the proposals through far more modest legislation. 

Biden told a national association of community college leaders that Congress has so far failed to pass the Build Back Better plan "and free community college is no longer a part of that package. We knew that this wasn't going to be easy — and Joe has always said that. Still, like you, I was disappointed. Because, like you, these aren't just bills or budgets to me. We know what they mean for real people, for our students."

"And it was a real lesson in human nature that some people just don't get that," she said.

It is highly unusual for first ladies to wade into policy fights, especially when it's to admit that their signature issue of concern is on the fritz. But Biden is the first first lady to keep her full-time day job as a community college professor, so her staff says he's eager to remain engaged on the subject.

And she's not giving up entirely. In her speech, she added that the president is still fighting for the issue: "Joe doesn't quit. He doesn't give up. He is keeping his promise to rebuild our middle class, and he knows that community colleges do just that. He knows that you are our greatest resource and our best investment. He will keep fighting for us."

News of the first lady's speech was first reported by The New York Times.

Mr. Biden put forth last year his sprawling $3.5 trillion domestic policy agenda, which included plans for free community college, paid family and sick leave and free pre-Kindergarten. But the proposal was scaled back to address concerns from Manchin and Senator Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat from Arizona, over its price tag, and proposals for free community college and a paid leave program were dropped.

While the House passed a version of the social spending plan in November, the legislation in its revamped form suffered a fatal blow in the Senate after Manchin announced in December he could not support the proposal.

Mr. Biden told reporters during a press conference last month he believes the Democratic-led Congress could approve "pieces, big chunks" of his signature spending package and acknowledged Democrats are "going to have to probably break it up." 

But Manchin last week reiterated the legislation is "dead." Still, he did not rule out supporting a smaller measure.