Purpose: America's College Promise (ACP) is a legislative initiative introduced by President Obama to increase access to higher education, to build the economy, and to support his earlier American Graduation Initiative. This legislation has the potential to settle among the ranks of the most influential federal higher education aid and access legislation passed in the 20th century, and influence the next administration's higher education agenda. The purpose of this article is to situate ACP in that historical hierarchy and position the initiative within the literature regarding federal policy directed toward student aid and access. Particular attention is given to federal policies relevant to community colleges and the dependence of this initiative on community colleges as this research may help multiple constituencies shape the direction of this policy as it unfolds, and offer a framework for implementation. Proposed model: Through historical analyses of federal policies, scholarly critiques, and public presidential speeches and the impact of these policies and documents on the community college specifically, scholars and practitioners are provided a work that places ACP in context and may offer a better understanding of how this policy may affect the institution, students, and business and industry partners. Conclusion: Considering these relationships and the potential impact of ACP, it is determined that this policy has the potential to have an equally profound impact on higher education to that of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965 but warns of ideological influences on its execution.