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House committees pass bill on NSA surveillance

By WTOP Staff

EILEEN SULLIVAN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House crossed a major hurdle in its efforts to rein in the National Security Agency when two oversight committees agreed this week on a proposal to end the agency’s practice of collecting Americans’ phone records and the bulk collection of all other records, such as credit card data. The House could vote on the bill as early as this month.

It was the first sign of consensus in the bitterly divided House on the controversial NSA surveillance programs since the spying was disclosed nearly a year ago. President Barack Obama has called for similar changes but is relying on Congress to hammer out the details. Senate oversight committees have yet to agree, which would be necessary before any new law is approved.

The House proposal — passed Wednesday by the Judiciary Committee and Thursday by the Intelligence Committee — would strengthen privacy safeguards for Americans’ communications that are swept up by the NSA. It also would require more transparency for disclosing how often private companies cooperate with the government on records requests.

Obama has not formally backed any of the proposals under consideration, but a White House spokeswoman said the bill is a “very good step.”

While civil liberties advocates consider the House bill a big step, more consensus is needed before the Obama administration stops sweeping up Americans’ phone records and holding them for five years.

It’s unlikely that any final decision will come before the midterm elections in November. Republicans are cautiously optimistic they could win back control of the Senate but might be wary of a vote on such a contentious issue before Election Day.

The Obama administration and some lawmakers have defended the surveillance programs, while others have called for an end to the spying. The debate over balancing national security with civil liberties exposed divisions within the political parties.

The House measure is not as strong as some privacy advocates and the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., would like. For instance, the proposal does not include a provision that would require the NSA to obtain a warrant before searching for Americans’ communications that were unintentionally captured in surveillance targeting foreigners overseas. Leahy said his committee will consider changes this summer.

A spokesman for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., said a vote for the bill has not yet been scheduled but could come the week of May 19.

It was unclear what the members of the House Intelligence Committee discussed during a meeting Thursday or why they did not consider their own legislation. Committee staff insisted that the meeting was open even though it was in a location closed to the public.

“The markup was considered ‘open’ but held in a ‘closed’ location so that members could easily close the session to discuss classified information should they need to,” committee spokeswoman Susan Phalen said.

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Associated Press writer Donna Cassata contributed to this report.

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Follow Eileen Sullivan on Twitter at www.twitter.com/esullivanap

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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