President Barack Obama's proposed plan for free college has stalled in a Republican-controlled Congress.

Despite President Obama's proposal that would make tuition-free college available to millions of students, Congress is not moving forward with his plan.

In January, President Obama made his proposal in a college auditorium in Knoxville. If it were to pass, it would allow for two years of tuition-free community college for millions of students across the country.

In July, Democrats in the House and Senate introduced bills that closely mirror President Obama's plan for tuition-free community college, but no Republican congressmen signed on as a co-sponsor of either piece of legislation. Neither bill has gotten a committee hearing either, though the proposal could possibly be considered later this year as part of a broader higher education package.

Republicans who oppose President Obama's proposal says that college tuition is a matter for the states. They cite the federal funding that already exists for community college students who need help. They have proposed other ways to help students, rather than introducing a new federal program. One option would be to reduce the federal paperwork for the 108-question student aid application form. Some say that this discourages students from applying for federal grants that are already available to help pay for community college tuition. Another option would be to pay for millions of new grants to be awarded.

Nearly 40 percent of community college students are eligible for a Pell grant that they would not have to pay back. If Congress reduces the paperwork required to apply for one, and makes them available for students to use all year round, these could help to reduce costs for many community college students nation-wide without implementing President Obama's plan.

Though Congress is not showing much support for President Obama's plan, the White House has released a statement that they think that support is growing across the country. There has also been some movement on the state and local levels. In the past six months, six states and communities have created programs to provide free community college. This includes statewide programs in Oregon and Minnesota and local programs in Philadelphia; Milwaukee; Dayton, OH; and Palatine, IL. 11 other states, including New York, Massachusetts, and Texas are considering similar proposals.

To build further interest, President Obama has been mentioning it in appearances across the country. The White House has also released a video discussing it.