If elected to the nation’s top job, Sen. Christopher J. Dodd would push to make attending a community college free, the Associated Press reported.

Mr. Dodd, a Democrat from Connecticut, is expected to unveil the proposal today, while on the campaign trail in New Hampshire. To finance the plan, Mr. Dodd would require states to cover half the price of tuition. The federal government would then provide matching dollars to cover the rest, according to the AP. States would also have to agree not to cut spending on community colleges.

The proposal is part of Mr. Dodd’s broader goals of “putting a spotlight on the skyrocketing cost of tuition” and “protecting students from unscrupulous lenders,” the AP reported. —Elyse Ashburn