Rep. Grijalva Introduces America’s College Promise Act to Expand Access to Tuition-Free Community College
Thursday, October 1, 2026
Tucson, AZ — Today, Congresswoman Adelita S. Grijalva alongside House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM-03), Representative Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04), and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), introduced the America’s College Promise Act of 2026, legislation to make community college and two-year Tribal Colleges and Universities more accessible by waiving tuition and fees for eligible students.
“Students in Southern Arizona and across the country should not have to take on tens of thousands of dollars in debt just to get the education and skills they need to build a better future,” said Rep. Adelita Grijalva. “The America’s College Promise Act is about making sure that opportunity is within reach for every student — whether they are graduating from high school, entering the workforce, changing careers, or returning to the classroom later in life. By expanding access to community and technical colleges, we are investing in students, strengthening our workforce, and giving communities the tools they need to thrive.”
“At Pima Community College, our students are working toward a better future while balancing jobs, family responsibilities, and the cost of their education,” said Dr. Jeffrey Nasse, Chancellor of Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona. "45 percent of PCC students are low-income. The America’s College Promise Act would help ease that financial burden and invest in the support students need to succeed in college and contribute to our local economies. We appreciate Congresswoman Grijalva’s leadership on legislation that would help more Southern Arizonans gain the skills and credentials to advance their careers and pursue their long-term goals.”
The legislation would create a federal-state partnership to waive tuition and fees for two years of eligible community and technical college programs. It would also provide support for institutions to improve enrollment, retention, transfer, and completion rates, particularly among low-income, first-generation, and underserved students.
“Community colleges play a unique and vital role in providing students access to a quality postsecondary degree. Regrettably, the chronic underfunding of community colleges is jeopardizing their ability to support their students and communities,” said Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott. “The America’s College Promise Act is a major investment in expanding opportunities for students and rebuilding a stronger economy.”
“In New Mexico, we know free community college can unlock the doors to a brighter future,” said Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández. “The America’s College Promise Act builds on New Mexico’s example by making sure students across the country can attend community college without the burden of tuition and fees. Our bill will provide funds for services students need to earn their degrees and reduce the financial burden for low-income students to attend TCUs, HBCUs, and MSIs.”
“As a professor, it was a privilege to witness students claim their education and seize their futures — yet the real fear and burden of immense student loan debt often deters young adults and returning students from expanding their learning,” said Rep. Madeleine Dean. “The America’s College Promise Act provides tuition-free community college courses and expands funding for HBCUs and trade schools, making the path to higher education and career readiness available to more Americans and future generations.”
“Every Wisconsinite deserves the opportunity to get the education and skills they need to land a good-paying job and build a better life, no matter where they come from or how much money their family makes,” said Senator Tammy Baldwin. “That’s why I am proud to work with my colleagues to remove barriers and lower the cost of community college, so more Wisconsinites have the opportunity to compete, succeed, and live a good middle-class life.”
The America’s College Promise Act of 2026 will make the skills and credentials necessary to succeed in the workforce more accessible to all students by creating a new federal-state partnership to provide two years of tuition-free community college.
The America’s College Promise Act of 2026 would:
- Create a federal-state partnership to waive tuition and fees for two years of eligible community and technical college programs while promoting reforms designed to accelerate student success;
- Establish a sliding federal funding share, beginning at 100 percent in the first year and transitioning to 80 percent beginning in the fifth and subsequent years;
- Ensure educational pathways lead to opportunity by requiring programs to offer academic credits transferable to four-year institutions in their state or occupational training leading to recognized credentials;
- Maintain and encourage state investment in higher education;
- Establish a Student Success Fund to improve enrollment, retention, transfer, completion, and labor market outcomes for underserved students, including students of color and low-income and first-generation college students;
- Waive two years of tuition and fees for eligible students attending Tribal Colleges and Universities; and
- Create a new grant program for HBCUs and minority-serving institutions to cover a significant portion of tuition and fees during the first two years of attendance for eligible low-income students.
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