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GOP chairman revives Benghazi subpoena of Kerry

By WTOP Staff

DONNA CASSATA
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Republican House chairman on Thursday issued a new subpoena for Secretary of State John Kerry to testify about the deadly 2012 attack in Benghazi, Libya, in an escalating fight with the Obama administration over its cooperation with Congress.

Rep. Darrell Issa, who heads the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said he had no choice as the State Department had failed to negotiate in good faith on an appropriate date for Kerry to testify. Earlier in the week, Issa had lifted a subpoena for a May 21 appearance amid ongoing discussions between the panel and the department.

Kerry is scheduled to travel to Mexico next week.

“Soon after I lifted the subpoena, the State Department back tracked, stating publicly that we should accept ‘a more appropriate witness’ and refusing to commit to making Secretary Kerry available,” Issa said in a statement. “With this State Department’s slippery tactics, it’s no wonder our friends in the world are losing faith in us and our adversaries doubt our credibility.”

The new subpoena calls for Kerry to testify on May 29. The State Department testily responded to Issa’s new subpoena while maintaining that no new date has been set and a witness other than Kerry might be better able to answer the panel’s questions.

The subpoena, State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said, “was accompanied by a headline-grabbing, highly political tweet attacking the integrity of the State Department itself. This is not the way legitimate and responsible oversight is conducted.”

Issa has insisted that Kerry explain to Congress why some emails and documents related to Benghazi were not provided to the committee, which has been conducting an ongoing investigation. A watchdog group, Judicial Watch, obtained the material through a lawsuit.

The Sept. 11, 2012, attack killed four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens. It has been the subject of multiple independent, bipartisan and GOP inquiries, and House Republicans recently created an eighth probe by a select committee.

Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and the oversight panel’s top Democrat, Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, criticized the Issa subpoena coming just days after the establishment of the new committee. Last week, House Speaker John Boehner appointed Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., to serve as the panel chairman and named six other Republicans.

“Chairman Issa’s subpoena of Secretary Kerry calls into question the Republicans’ stated purpose of the select committee on Benghazi,” Pelosi said. “The select committee is a sign of no confidence in Issa just as Issa’s action today is a sign of a lack of confidence in the select committee.

“Why are House Republicans putting the American people through this ongoing saga to nowhere?” said the California lawmaker, who is still weighing whether to appoint any Democrats to the select committee.

Cummings questioned whether Issa’s action was an “attempt to reinsert himself into this investigation after the speaker removed him,” then added, “this looks more and more like the ‘sideshow’ and ‘circus’ Speaker Boehner said he would not tolerate.”

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AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.

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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