Obama Proposes Reforms for Higher Education

U.S. President Barack Obama says higher education in America has "never been more important," but has also "never been more expensive."

Obama said in his weekly address Saturday that he was proposing "major new reforms" designed to make college more affordable and to make it easier for people to pay for their education.

President Obama said the reforms included a proposal to help Americans manage their existing student debt by capping monthly payments at 10 percent of their income. He said the average student now graduated more than $26,000 in debt.

Obama said the reforms would not be "popular" with everyone, but "the path we're on now was unsustainable."

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Governor Mike Pence of Indiana delivered the Republican address. He bemoaned the upcoming implementation of the Affordable Care Act - also known as "Obamacare" - aimed at providing low-cost heath insurance for millions of Americans. Pence said the new health care law would weigh down the economy and eliminate jobs, "making the future bleak for too many families."

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